Our Last Days: The Fifty-Second Hunger Games
by jshrn
Summary: You keep running, but is there an end? You keep dodging, but will that knife finally slice its way to the end of your life? You keep hiding, but isn't death just around the corner, waiting for you to finally come out and face it with resigned acceptance? You look up at the artificial sky, asking for mercy. Will you finally get it?
1. Franco and Desiree

Though it was a cold windy day, Desiree Hawkins was sweating profusely as she ran through the hallway after hallway, opening doors and looking through windows.

"First day and I'm late!" Desiree exclaimed after what seemed to be like the millionth door she had opened in the blasted building she was in.

With dark, unnaturally colored red hair, stringy as it was soaked with cool sweat and a somber expression on her pale face, Desiree threw herself on an office chair in the last room she had barged into. She was about an hour late for her first day on her new job. She was beginning to doubt that anyone in this building actually knew their way around. Rubbing her steely eyes in exhaustion, Desiree spotted a peculiar ball of light situated by the corner of the room.

The redhead lifted herself up to her feet that ached on heels she had been forced to wear for uniform. Her eyes followed the ray of light in heavy curiosity which led to a boarded window, only inches away from the ceiling. With a strange desire to reveal the covered window, Desiree reached for a stool at the corner of the office. Her heart pounding against her chest in excitement, she boost herself up once her foot was firmly placed on the wooden stool. Stretching her arms up, she managed to grip both sides of the wooden board with her slim fingers and had given enough strength to push it aside, resting on the window sill.

Eyes widening in absolute panic, Desiree hastily tried to cover the window up once again once she had caught a glimpse of the other side. Unfortunately, her trembling fingers let the board slip through and fall noisily on the ground of the office she was occupying. Frightened and anxious, Desiree took a sudden steps back, making her fall over and make more of a ruckus in the room. Her gasps of pain echoed and caught the attention of the gamemakers in the Control Room which was situated on the other side of the window.

The young woman on the floor could hear the emanding questions of the Head Gamemaker, Franco Creswell. More and more of his collagues took a peek at Desiree and she took in a sharp intake of breath when the scowling face of her boss appeared amidst the confused expressions of the others. Effortlessly, Franco yanked the window open.

"What the hell do you think you're doing in _here_?" he snarled grumpily as he took in Desiree position on the ground looking quite foolish herself.

"I–I couldn't find my way... I'm s–sorry, Mr. Creswell" Desiree stammered.

"I showed you the way to the control room three days ago!" Franco snapped, his temper tested by the poor twenty year-old. "If you want to keep your place as a gamemaker, you should learn to know your way here and _never be late_!"

Hurriedly, Desiree lifted herself up from the floor and patted on her clothes to make herslelf look at least remotely presentable. Keeping her head down from the piercing blue gaze of the Head, the twenty year-old gamemaker hastily brisked out of the office to find her way to the Control Room again.

Sighing irately, Franco Creswell turned his eyes away from the now empty office and back to the gamemakers who had been watching him scold Desiree Hawkins, the new gamemaker President Friselbee assigned last week. This was her first day for actual work on the Hunger Games and Franco absolutely hated latecomers.

"_Well_?" Franco snapped at the gamemakers who still gawked at the window. "What do you think you're doing? _Back to work!_"

The gamemakers hurriedly returned to their works on the arena then the glass door of the control room automatically opened, revealing a very tired and sweaty Desiree Hawkins standing outside on the hallway. If possible, her hair had gone completely haywire and messier than it had been a few moments ago. Her gray eyes were so full of panic as she awaited her boss' scolds once more, already aware of what he would be nagging about this time.

"I'm sorry for being late," she panted, stepping inside. "It won't happen again."

"It better not," Franco snapped. "We need all we have to complete this damn arena and the games start in a few days. All of our tributes are training and we aren't even done with the arena itself! Where do you think our arenas come from? Do you think they just pop up from the ground and form itself? _No_, Hawkins. We, gamemakers, make the arena and if we don't move our asses, we aren't going to finish and we will _all be fired_. Do _you_ want to get fired before you even start?"

Desiree gulped and shook her head. Franco let a fake, sickly smile grow on his face.

"Brilliant," he said. "Now get to work."

"Who are you to be so nasty to my niece, Mr. Creswell?"

The whole control room was silenced. President Friselbee stood before the glass doors, no one actually noticing his entrance. His sleek white blonde hair flowed down his back in waves. His beard was neatly trimmed and his thin frameless spectacles perched on the bridge of his sharp nose. His hands rested in the pockets of his black slacks that matched his coat and tie. His eyes stared stonily into Franco Creswell's crystal blue ones.

"Your niece was late, President Friselbee," Franco replied rather bitterly, shooting a scornful look in the redhead's direction. Desiree inched behind her Uncle under the Head's gaze.

"She promises it would never happen again, am I right, Desiree?" President Friselbee pointedly lowered his head to piercingly stare into his niece's eyes.

"Yes, uncle," Desiree answered almost immediately, her voice no louder than a whisper.

"Very good," President Friselbee said with a satisfied smile before returning to speak with the Head Gamemaker. "I have here the profiles of all the tributes, Creswell. I need you to choose your best gamemakers for the tributes to impress after their training. Also, I want Desiree to be part of that group."

The blonde lifted his head up to stare disbelievingly at the President.

"President Friselbee, Desiree hardly has any experience with all this!" Franco exclaimed, trying not to sound so irritated for the sake of the President's presence in the Control Room. "She won't know what she's doing!"

"I assure you, my niece will do fantastic," President Friselbee said calmly, placing his right hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Now, I will leave you to read all the profiles so you will know who you will be looking at when you see them. Be wise, Franco Creswell. I did not put you in this position to disappoint me."

* * *

**And this starts my story! Check out the blog here: ourlastdays52 . wordpress . com. Remove the spaces please! Enjoy the ride through the different tributes as they battle their way to victory In the 52nd Annual Hunger Games.**


	2. Friselbee's Mansion

Desiree Hawkins stood at the enormous garden of the President's Mansion. The grass was neatly trimmed and the trees and bushes bloomed with colorful flowers and bore exotic fruits. Desiree sat on one of the benches, braiding then unbraiding her hair over and over again. She would stay here before and after she had to work in the control room as a gamemaker. Uncle Friselbee gave her the job so unexpectedly. She hardly knew how to react.

Desiree wasn't sure whether she liked the job or not. She always loved how the arena was so beautifully and craftily made. Now, she was one of them who made it. Although, she hated how controlling her Head was and how strict everything is in the control room. There were too many rules and Desiree could hardly remember that first one Franco Creswell told her during her orientation.

Franco Creswell was another problem for her. Clearly, Franco did _not_ like her. She was a bit daft and clueless at times but she didn't need to be a genius to know the passion of hatred the Head Gamemaker had for her. Although, something about him had surprised her. He was twenty-four years old. There were gamemakers twice his age. He was younger than everyone except Desiree. His looks did show his young age though. His dirty blonde hair was not at all neat, it being very messy most of the time. His icy eyes were wide and alert. He was tall and lean with a thin face and broad shoulders. He was handsome (Desiree could admit that) but there was a sense of cruelty and something inhuman in him. She still wondered how he got the job as the Head. With a hot temper and judgmental attitude like his, Desiree didn't think anyone would want him to lead a whole bunch of experienced and aged gamemakers.

"What brings you here to my garden, my niece?"

Startled, Desiree twisted around quickly to see the intruder. It was only her uncle, the great President. She greeted him with a soft smile.

"Just thinking," she answered.

"About what?" President Friselbee asked kindly, sitting down on the bench beside her.

"About everything, I guess," Desiree sighed. "My new job, the Games, the tributes, Franco Creswell–"

"Creswell, I see?" the President said with a chuckle. "Why is he on your mind on such a fine morning?"

"Franco's just been giving me a hard time. It's hard to fit in in the control room with him there. He always finds a way to humiliate and insult me of my lack of skills in being a gamemaker."

"Franco Creswell is difficult, Desiree."

"I know," she mumbled. "How come you appointed him as Head? He's twenty-four years old! He keeps bragging about his experiences in the control room when everyone except me is older than him."

"I gave him the job because he's the best for it, Desiree. Not everyone possesses the kind of leadership quality and dedication to such work," President Friselbee calmly explained but there seemed to be something else in that explanation. Desiree's uncle knew more, but why wouldn't he just tell her?

"Something doesn't seem right with him," Desiree said. "It's like he can't even see which is right and which is wrong anymore. All he cares about is his damn arena. There's so much more to life than that arena."

"You must understand some people grow up with the games. He's had quite a lot of experiences himself. Not that he was ever in the games."

"It's just really sad," Desiree sighed.

"You can't help him, my niece," the President patted the redhead's shoulder. "Who you _can_ help is yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"I can most definitely see the purity in your heart. It's something the gamemakers in the control room usually lack. The purity in _their _hearts are clouded by fear and cruelty."

"The whole Hunger Games is clouded by fear and cruelty, Uncle. I don't understand why you would let this pass as a form of entertainment for the Capitol. It's _sick_."

The President sighed. "I cannot simply stop the games, my dear. It's what keeps everyone here in the Capitol going with their lives. After the games, my people simply wait for the next one. Without the games, there will be chaos and disorder. With the games, people are united in watching and sponsoring.

"Don't they understand how cruel this is to the Districts?" Desiree exclaimed.

"They don't."

Desiree huffed and stood up, excusing herself. She marched back inside the mansion and made her way to the front door for a nice walk in the streets. She twisted the knob of one of the double doors and she pulled it open, only to reveal a blond-haired man standing outside.

"Mr. Creswell," Desiree said in surprise, staring wide-eyed at him.

Franco Creswell never visited the mansion before. He was always cooped up inside the control room and Desiree never saw him come in or leave. He looked different too. He didn't wear the light-colored control room uniform and Desiree never saw him without it. He was dressed casually, a pair of folded gray shorts and a plain black collared t-shirt. It was so simple and Desiree rarely ever saw anyone simple in the Capitol. Even Desiree owned a bunch of bright-colored tops and shorts with a variety of shoes.

"Hello, Desiree," he said in an uninterested tone. "Is the President home?"

"Yes, he is," she answered. "Do you need to speak with him?"

"Why _else_ would I be here?"

Desiree frowned, her lip curling at his rudeness. Then, she slammed the door at his face. Muttering curses, she turned to leave but Franco immediately appeared behind the nearest window, leaning against it with his face and hands.

"Okay, I'm sorry! Yes, I need to speak with him!" he said quickly.

Desiree marched to the window and lifted it open without effort. Franco nearly fell inside but he managed to keep his balance on the porch outside.

"You clearly don't know what a slammed door on your face means, do you?" she snapped, readying her hand to slide the window close.

"_Wait, wait, wait, wait!_" Franco said in panic, his hand darting to Desiree's to keep her from closing the window. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Desiree frowned. "You treat me like crap every time I enter the control room as a gamemaker. Not once did you apologize for that but why–"

"That's in the control room," Franco rolled his eyes. "Obviously since I'm the Head I'm supposed to be strict so people would follow me."

"That's not a reason to treat me like I'm not an equal."

"No one is equal in our world, Desiree. Compare our kind to those in the Districts. Who do you think belongs to the higher part of the social class?'"

"You're sick," Desiree snapped, yanking her hand out of Franco's grip.

"I'm not saying anything bad about them!" the Head Gamemaker exclaimed. "I'm saying the truth! It's a sad truth everyone should learn to accept."

"_Go away_," she said through gritted teeth.

Desiree had to admit, she preferred the Franco Creswell she was speaking to now than the Franco Creswell who did nothing but shout in the control room. He would definitely do without the Gamemaker uniform as well. It was so unusual to see someone so simple in the Capitol. Desiree was beginning to wonder where exactly he did come from. Even she, though quite simple herself, had quite a set of ususual clothing that was meant to stand out.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Snapping out of her trance, Desiree replaced her analyzing stare with a scowl with a tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"Didn't I just tell you to go away?"

"Desiree, I have to speak to President Friselbee."

"For _what_?" Desiree snapped. "Is the arena too much of a paradise for you? Not enough obstacles and poisoned stuff? Too exposed to anything that might actually help the tributes?"

"It's not like that–"

"I know exactly how the likes of you look at the games, Mr. Creswell," she interrupted in annoyance and anger. "You watch as if it's a form of entertainment to you. How does that even give pleasure and happiness to the people of the Capitol? Are we just that shallow and stupid to see their sufferings?"

"I know _exactly_ how it feels to suffer, Hawkins!" Franco hissed, losing his patience. "You don't know me. You have no idea what the hell I've been through. I came here to speak with the President, not _you_. If you won't let me, then I'll return when you're not here. Good day, Desiree Hawkins."

With that, he walked pass the front yard to the fence. Desiree watched him walk further away from the mansion until he was no longer visible to the eye. She did not know what she said that changed his attitude towards her so greatly, but she knew it wasn't good.

* * *

**Hi there! This chapter was more of a part of the introduction. It sees more of Franco Creswell tho and he's sort of a mystery.**

**Please review and tell me what you think of my chapters and characters so far! I would really appreciate the suggestions and thoughts. :) I'd also update faster with reviews as motivations. :)**


	3. District Eight: Knowing One's Self

**_Days before the control room incident_**

**_Erizelda Morrison, District 8 Girl _**

**_Burton Howl, District 8 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Burton Howl, 14_**

* * *

_School is a pain._

"Do you have anything else to say, Mr. Howl?" Mr. Rinzinger, the History teacher, asked the fourteen year-old boy with a slight scowl on his bony face.

"I said that out loud, didn't I?" Burton Howl whispered to his seatmate in History class.

"You pretty much shouted it out, yeah."

"I will have a talk with you after class, Howl," Mr. Rinzinger said before going back to the lesson.

Burton muttered curses, doodling absentmindedly on his second-hand notebook. His stomach grumbled and he clutched it in hunger. He thought of walking out of History class to steal some food from the canteen. It should be Cal's break by now. The thought of stealing food with Cal lightened Burton's mood a bit.

Cal was a seventeen year-old boy who Burton knew since he was six. Ever since his parents died, he had not known what to do with himself until Cal saw him in the school cafeteria, sitting alone on one of the tables without food or money. Cal obviously felt pity for the six year-old and treated him to his favorite food in the cafeteria. Since then, Cal felt attached to the small boy, especially after he heard about his parents.

"How am I supposed to eat?" Burton had asked. "I don't have any money. My house is empty and there's nothing to sell."

"Who says you need money to get some food?" Cal said with a mischievous glint in his bright brown eyes.

Burton still remembered that day. It was the day his life took a great turn and he hasn't starved ever since. Cal was the reason he was still alive. Burton owed him his life.

Suddenly, the classroom door opened and revealed a girl, her silky hair tied up in a bun and her beautiful golden brown eyes shined in the dull atmosphere of History class. She looked to be Cal's age, Burton thought. He recognized her as well. She was well-known in the District. Cal had warned him to stay away from her. Although, the rest of Cal's gang liked to remind him he used to have the biggest crush on the beautiful girl. It was not something Cal liked to talk about.

"Zelda!" Mr. Rinzinger said in surprise. "What brings you here to ninth grade History?"

"Mr. Pallin was asking for the files he gave you this morning," she said. "I was asked to get them from you."

Burton noticed the reaction of his classmates to the Senior. The girls rolled their eyes or raised their eyebrows at her in disgust. Some of the boys gawked at her exposed cleavage and legs as she was wearing a very tight tank top and a very short denim skirt. As soon as she left, the reactions subsided and the dullness of the subject returned. Not able to take sitting down in what was probably the most boring subject in the entire school, Burton stood up in the middle of the lesson, slung his bag over one shoulder and marched out of the room without a word, ignoring Mr. Rinzinger's angry calls.

He wore his usual smirk on his face as he walked. Eleventh and twelfth graders were out for the break. Cal and the gang should be somewhere in the cafeteria. Burton couldn't find Cal's brown head over the sea of older students. Thinking he should still use his time wisely, he walked pass students who carried trays of food and while they talked to their friends or while they weren't looking, Burton grabbed a piece of meat or their carton of juice and he would slip in the crowd before he was seen. His head whirled around, still trying to find Cal and the gang while he sipped on his stolen juice. After finishing his first, he decided to take another from a twelfth grader who sat with his whole group of friends.

Burton saw the senior trying to impress the girl who visited his History class, Zelda. His tray of food lay forgotten at the end of the cafeteria table. He started his pace towards the table fast, avoiding eye contact with any of the seniors seated. He finally passed by the said table and quickly snatched the carton of juice. Although, as he passed by, he caught the eye of the brunette called Zelda, causing her partner to turn around, wondering what she was staring at.

Burton had one thing on his mind then. _Run_.

"_Come back here, Howl_!"

How in the world did this senior know his name? Burton didn't have time to think as he was sprinting out of the cafeteria and into the crowded hallway. The senior was tall and bulky so he didn't have the stealth and agility Burton had. Burton barely even touched the students who crowded the hallway. He slipped through small spaces between people and ran, jumped and ducked his way through the crowd. Then surprisingly, he bumped into someone and he landed on the floor, a cry of pain escaping his mouth.

"_Burton_?"

Looking up, Burton saw Cal and the rest of his friends surrounding him.

"Hey, I was looking for you guys!" Burton exclaimed in delight. "I just ditched History. Then I was chased by a senior for stealing his carton of juice." He held up the undamaged carton with a grin.

"Well I think you outran him," Cal said, his bright eyes clouded with mischief as he messed up Burton's blonde curls. He held out a hand and Burton gratefully took it.

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Erizelda Morrison, 17_**

* * *

Zelda watched her latest "boyfriend" run after the fourteen year-old blonde because of a damn carton of juice.

"He's a moron," Zelda said in an uninterested tone. "I'm breaking up with him."

"Wow, after two days?" one of her friends said feigning shock.

"It's hard to find a decent boyfriend in this District," Zelda snapped, standing up and leaving the table.

Swaying her hips as she walked, she watched from the corner of her eye boy after boy turn away from their own business to watch her walk by. Her full blood red lips formed a satisfied smirk.

Zelda got through the rest of the day in school. She managed to avoid her moron boyfriend and briskly walked home from school, clutching a few of her books close to her chest. She self-consciously tried to pull her skirt lower to cover at least an inch of her skin. Everyday after school, she had to pass by the same alley. She was terrified that the same man would come out of it. Every time she walked by, she'd quicken her pace, almost running. She covered her chest with her books and let her hair down to cover her beautiful face.

Finally, the alley was out of her sight and she put her books back in her bag, pulled her skirt up and tied her hair in a bun to show her sharp features. She arrived in the two-story home of her brother and his wife, Katarina. She unlocked the door, dropped her stuff on the couch and called for Xavier. Her tall, twenty-four year-old brother came out of the kitchen with an apron on.

"Someone's home early," he said, raising his eyebrows. "Where's that other senior you're with?"

"I dumped him."

His grayish eyes bore into her own golden brown ones. Scowling, Zelda stomped her way up the stairs to her room.

"Did you really dump him, or did you just leave him without planning on ever coming back?" Xavier asked making Zelda stop and tighten her grip on the wooden railing of the staircase.

"You need to stop this, Zelda," Xavier took the opportunity to continue since she stayed silent. "I thought after what happened four years ago–"

"_Don't even start, Xavier_," Zelda hissed.

"Zelda, please–"

"Shut up, _shut up_! I don't want to hear this."

"Tell me what really happened there!" Xavier raised his voice. "I need to know!"

"No one needs to know!" Zelda shouted back.

She ran up the stairs to her room, slamming the door behind her to let Xavier know he wasn't welcome in there anytime soon. She leaned against the door and slid down until she reached the floor. Memories of that day flashed before her eyes. She wondered what would have happened if she didn't let this whole thing go to her head. Would she have been happier?

Shaking her head, she pushed away that thought in her head. She's as happy as she could be right then and there. Her signature smirk appeared on her flawless face. She might as well thank that man in the alley for making her life so great. She had all the boys she could have. They all made her happy in some way. That's good, right?

Sighing, Zelda stood up and leaned against her bedroom window, letting the breeze cool her anger. She watched her street down below. The whole street had been empty until Zelda watched a couple appear from the end of the street, chasing each other. She recognized the boy. He was her fellow senior. Her eyes widened when the boy finally caught up to the girl, hugged her from behind and planted a kiss on her cheek. The girl giggled uncontrollably.

"You are such a cheater!" the boy said with a laugh. "You had a head start!"

"You're a guy! Guys always run faster!" the girl laughed with him.

Big grins on their faces, they shared a kiss. The boy apparently had to leave quick and after one last kiss, he turned to walk away. The girl watched him leave, no longer grinning.

"I love you!" the girl shouted after him before he was out of sight.

Zelda didn't hear what the boy replied since he was already too far but she was one hundred percent sure he had returned the I love you. Zelda watched the girl who lived in the house in front of hers. She still stood there, staring at the street as though she was waiting for her lover to come back. She didn't leave until the sun was down and the moon shined bright on the sky.

For the first time in months, Zelda felt teardrops run down her cheeks. What she just saw was true love. The boy lived in the poorer side of District Eight. Zelda knew he worked in the factory that made Peacekeeper uniforms for extra money. She recognized him as he was a fellow senior in school. For the past years, it was common for there to be accidents in the factories. Many children have lost their siblings and parents in these accidents.

It worried the girl that there might be an accident where her boyfriend was involved. Although as soon as the front door of her home closed, a large boom echoed in the District and Zelda watched puffs of smoke spread across the sky. The girl emerged from her house and Zelda watched her sprint until she turned a corner and she was no longer seen.

Breathing heavily, Zelda shut her window closed and covered it with her curtains. She would rarely ever see love like that go around. She liked to show everyone how easy she can get a boy, let him go and get another. But was she really happy that way? Seeing the girl's reaction to the boom and how she waited till the sun went down, Zelda couldn't help but feel lonely. That was what she really wanted.

But it was something she knew she could never have.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Burton Howl, 14_**

* * *

Burton watched the people of District Eight leave their homes, some sobbing, some with extremely terrified expressions. They all made their way towards the town square. Burton left his own house when nobody was present in his street anymore. He walked slowly and quietly, his eyes darting around to see if anyone as still there. It was as if he was about to sprint to the opposite end of the District, away from the town square.

Although, Burton managed to stay strong till he reached the square. He was last in line and he had to bite his tongue to keep him from hissing in pain when his finger was pricked. He felt like he was about to barf his heart out. It was so unusual for him to be to afraid of something. With Cal and the gang, he would always be by Cal's side preparing to steal some food or pulling some pranks.

What scared the hell out of Burton was that Cal wasn't here with him with the rest of the fourteen year-olds in District Eight. Cal always gave Burton the confidence to do what he has to do for him not to starve. Now that he wasn't here, he didn't know what to do anymore. Cal made him promise not to take any tessera. There were three slips of paper in the glass ball for boys and it had his name on them.

After watching the same video they had to watch every year during the reaping, Merry Pladdens, District Eight's Escort welcomed everybody and started with her own introduction on this year's Hunger Games. She wore a ridiculous amount of make-up on her face, making her resemble a clown. Her tight mini skirt was bright pink and her blouse was poofy and white. Her hair was a dark unnatural color of red and it was artificially curled.

"Now, we shall start with the girls!" Merry said in her own Capitol accent.

She walked ridiculously slow, her skirt looking too tight for her to walk in and Burton bet the heels weren't helping her either. When she finally reached the glass bowl of papers, she stuffed her hand inside. For a full minute, she twisted and twirled her long fingers in the glass bowl until she finally took one out. Smiling, she made her way back to the microphone and slowly unfolded the piece of paper.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Erizelda Morrison, 17_**

* * *

"Erizelda Morrison," Merry Pladdens announced to the District.

Zelda felt her knees weaken. She could hear a series of gasps around her. She realized she had stopped breathing. She blocked out all the whispers around her and all she could hear was the beating of her heart. The first person that came in her head was Xavier. She whirled around to spot him with the other adults watching.

There we was, right in front, his arm around his wife. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes wide and his face blank. They stared at each other, faces void of emotion. Her heart hammered strongly in her chest. Just an hour ago, Xavier was in Zelda's room, apologizing for his actions three nights ago. Just an hour ago, Zelda was clinging on to Xavier as he was the only person who was left for her here. He was indeed the only one.

Her bottom lip shaking, Zelda turned around and started walk though the crowd until the peacekeepers spotted her and escorted her towards the stage. Her signature flirtatious smirk was on her face and she swayed her hips as she walked. She saw the cameras following her and she looked one straight in the lens and licked her luscious lips with a wink. She walked up to stage and stood in front of the whole District.

Only Xavier was left for her here. Nothing and no one else.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Burton Howl, 14_**

* * *

Burton knew it was all an act. Burton saw Zelda's real emotions show when she looked back to the boy who stood with the adults. He watched her wink and sway her hips up the stage but there was something in her beautiful eyes that was uncertain and scared.

"Aren't you a beautiful lady?" Merry said with a big smile, staring admiringly at Zelda. Then she turned to the glass ball filled with names of the boys. "Let's see which one of you lucky boys would be able to have the chance to compete in the games alongside the beautiful Erizelda."

Burton shut his eyes, waiting for Merry to blurt out the name. It took her a while. Merry was an escort who loved suspense. She would let the suspense go on for hours if she could. Good thing she couldn't. After three minutes of silence, Merry finally unfolded the piece of paper she took.

"Burton Howl!" she announced with a grin.

Burton's eyes sprung open. A big wave of fear washed over him. He refused to lose his strength and collapse on the floor even if that was what he wanted to do. At the corner of his eye, he saw Cal looking absolutely terrified. Then Burton had this strange idea of proving himself to not only this District, but to the whole of Panem. He would show them all of what Cal taught him and how much he's matured himself from the six year-old malnourished boy to the sneaky fourteen year-old almost everyone watches out for.

With his usual mischievous smile, Burton pushed his way to the front and the peacekeepers led him to the stage. He stepped up and he glanced at Zelda who was staring cautiously at him. She must have seen something in his eye that actually intimidated her because she immediately looked away and her smirk was finally wiped off her face. Burton smiled even bigger, satisfied at himself. He was off to a very good start.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Erizelda Morrison, 17_**

* * *

The peacekeepers led her to a carpeted room with dark walls and a soft couch on the corner. Zelda sat quietly, biting her lip as she refused to cry. Suddenly, the door opened and Xavier was pushed in by a peacekeeper.

"You have limited time so make it quick," the peacekeeper said before closing the door behind him.

Zelda took no time running to her brother and embracing him. That was when the tears started to fall and it soaked Xavier's shirt. For a long while, they stayed like that until Zelda finally spoke up.

"I– I don't know what to do, Xavier. Please, help me, help me," Zelda sobbed.

"You've already done it, Zelda," Xavier said, his voice cracking. "You know exactly what to do. Just keep doing your thing and you'll get through this, I promise."

"What if I never see you again?" Zelda asked quietly, looking up at him,

"Don't say that," Xavier said. "You will. I have to see you again. Stay strong, okay? You have to stay strong."

"I know nothing about fighting!"

"You train before the games, don't you?" Xavier assured her. "You'll learn something there for sure. Be careful with who you trust."

"I can't trust anyone," Zelda said, angrily wiping her tears.

The door of the room opened and the same peacekeeper who led Xavier here entered.

"Time's up," he said.

"No," Zelda said, her voice higher than usual as she clung onto Xavier. "No, no, no, _no_!"

"Let's go!" the peacekeeper grunted impatiently and pulled Xavier away from her.

Xavier tried to struggle against his grip but the peacekeeper was strong. He managed to hold on to the door before it closed and shouted, "I love you, Zelda! Be strong!"

The door closed with a bang and Zelda heard the lock turn. She already stopped crying but the feeling of leaving her own brother didn't leave. It was absolutely terrifying and devastating to leave him. She sat on the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. She wiped all the tears from her cheeks and made sure nothing about her face looked like she just cried. She won't show weakness to the whole of Panem when she's walking to the train and all cameras are on her and her District partner, Burton Howl.

She saw something in his eye while they were on stage. He was definitely ready to face everyone in the arena. Zelda knew his sneaky side. She's seen in. She had no one to blame but the planning genius, Cal. Everyone knew Cal. Burton might as well be a mini him. Burton may be fourteen years old but no one should be stupid enough to underestimate him. If he can get away with fully trained peacekeepers in the Distrist (although he gets caught once in a while), he can get away with twenty-three kids in an arena.

Zelda needed to watch out for him.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Burton Howl, 14_**

* * *

As soon as Cal was pushed in the room by a peacekeeper, he shouted.

"_Didn't I tell you not to take any tessera_?" he said, eyes crazy with fear and worry.

"I didn't! I swear, I didn't!" Burton said, afraid of Cal's reaction on his reaping. He's never seen Cal react this way.

Cal took deep breaths to calm himself. Burton stared at him with wide eyes, afraid he might shout again.

"Dude, you're in serious trouble," Cal said, returning to his usual calm self.

Burton lightly laughed. "You mean you have no faith in me?" he asked, raising his right eyebrow.

"Well, I taught you all you know so I'm pretty positive you'll go far in there," Cal smiled with a wink.

"You don't have to worry, you know. Like you said, I learned from you. I'm not going down without a fight in that arena."

Smiling, Cal ruffled Burton's blonde curls. It was something he'd been doing since he met Burton. It was how he greeted and even thanked Burton. Though this time, it didn't feel like a greeting or a thank you. It was a goodbye. Burton was going away and Cal could do nothing. He taught Burton everything he knew and it was time for Burton to go on his own. Burton always had Cal to look up to, Cal to suggest improvements to his plans and Cal to actually help him achieve his goals. This time, he was all alone.

Before Burton could say anything else, the peacekeeper outside the door knocked and came in, announcing that Cal needed to go. Something in Cal's calm demeanor changed for a second but he quickly recovered.

"You're going to do great," he said with a small smile. "Just remember who you are, Burton. Tributes come out insane from that place."

After one last wink, Cal left the room, the peacekeeper looking shocked he didn't need to force him out. When the peacekeeper closed the door, Burton sat down feeling like he was six years old again. It felt like the night when peacekeepers came to his house to inform him his parents were dead and they left without even suggesting what Burton should or shouldn't do. He was completely alone they didn't care. Perhaps they thought Burton would simply starve to death.

Eight years ago, he lost his parents.

He was currently in one of the rooms of District Eight's Justice Building, waiting for the peacekeeper to come back and bring him to the Capitol where he'll be training to kill. It felt just like it was eight years ago. He was alone because for the second time in his life, he lost his only family.

Although there's a difference with what happened in the Justice Building and what happened in the factory accident. This time, Burton could get his family back. All he has to do is take down twenty-three other tributes who also aim to leave the arena alive and get their families back.

If only that was as easy as stealing a carton of juice from a senior...

* * *

**Hello! Updated pretty quickly, didn't I? I was pretty motivated by a lot of you so I wanted to put this chapter out as soon as possible! Thank you to everyone who reviewed and I'd appreciate it if you guys would tell me what you thought of the first District chapter. :)**

**Each District would actually go through three parts which is the Life Before The Reaping (which shows a part of their usual lives and we get an introduction on how the character really is), The Reaping (self-explanatory) and lastly, the Justice Building (where the characters say goodbye to their friends and loved ones).**

**Again, I am still in need of characters but I got a suggestion from IceTigers to gather at least fifteen tributes and the rest will be bloodbaths. So I'm going to take that amazing suggestion. :) Thank you, IceTigers!**

**If you wish to submit a character, form is in my profile and the list! PM the form to me. :-)**

**Reviews give me motivation! Please tell me what you think. :)**


	4. District Five: Two In One

_**Drew Perrin, District 5 Girl**_

**_Langston Calder, District 5 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before the Reaping**

**_Drew Perrin, 15_**

* * *

Everything indoors to Drew Perrin was simply boring. Although, she liked to create or invent things that would give her entertainment. Her and her seven year-old brother Ben would always find ways to entertain themselves. Sadly, Avery Perrin didn't have the same mentality as they did. So when Drew and Ben created their own version of a sac race, racing across the household with half of their body in a recycled sac, Avery nearly ran into Ben, causing Drew to win.

"Avery, you are such a spoil sport!" Ben cried, getting out of his sac and throwing it across the room in rage.

"I'm sure Avery didn't mean it, Ben!" Drew piped in cheerily, stepping out of her own sac with the biggest grin on her face and her dark eyes twinkling with happiness. "A spoil sport is usually defined as someone who makes it a habit to spoil someone else's fun. I've only seen Avery do this about seventy-five percent of her time."

Growling, Avery stomped her way out of the room without a word.

"What's _her_ problem?" Ben said with a pout.

"No one really knows," Drew answered in a quick chattery voice, grin still pasted on her face. "Sometimes, I wonder if she's ever tried to smile before. It can't look _that_ bad on her, can it? I've seen people from the District with much worse condition in their teeth. Some even have different colors like blue, black, green, silver, gold, purple, yellow, red–"

"You talk too much."

"–there's even a greenish shade of blue that I haven't really seen before but I just went in the healer's house and there was guy with blue-green teeth and there were black stuff an it and other things like crawling around and like–"

Sighing, Ben bent down to pick his sac up while Drew continued her endless chatter about teeth. Suddenly, the needle that held the corners of the sacs together pierced from the inside and pricked Ben's finger.

"_Ouch!"_ Ben exclaimed with a hiss.

Drew stopped speaking immediately and ran over to to examine Ben's pricked finger.

"It's just a small scratch and it won't really need much medical attention but just to make sure, does this hurt?"

Ben was lost with everything Drew was saying as she was talking too fast and Ben couldn't pick up on anything. But even if he couldn't hear her well, he could definitely feel how she pressed her own finger on his scratched thumb.

Then it started bleeding.

"_Oh my God, blood! You're gonna die!"_

Drew bolted out of the room to go as far as she can from the blood streaming out of her little brother's finger.

Ben started to cry.

* * *

It was about two days before the Reaping, days after the bleeding finger incident. Drew's mother liked to bring the subject up just for a reason to scold her since Ben truly believed that he was indeed dying. He resulted to running to his mother's room and giving her his "last goodbyes". Drew had apologized but she somehow found the whole situation quite hilarious.

Drew woke up to the voice of her sister, calling her for breakfast. With her usual twinkling eyes and light messy short hair, she scrambled out of bed and ran down to the kitchen. Grinning, she threw herself on one of the chairs around the dining table and ate everything that was possible to reach for. Avery and her mother were already eating as well, but Avery liked to give Drew disgusted looks from time to time.

As usual, Drew started the breakfast conversation, not being able to the stand the complete silence and lack of movement.

"Can you take me out to see the factories today, mom?" Drew asked in her usual hurried but piped voice. "The last time you took me there, I was so fascinated with all the stuff and I was even thinking about joining one day and I saw so much kids in my school but they all looked so sad! Why are they sad? Shouldn't they be happy they get the opportunity to work in such a great and fascinating place and they actually get paid for working there? It's practically heaven there! There's still this room I haven't been to though, but if you take me there, I would be able to explore and–"

"No, Drew," Drew's mother finally said making Drew stop her chatter for a while.

Though, it didn't last long.

"How about the park? Or how about we visit your old friend who's always been inviting us over but you never accept her offer? Oh! How about you take me to The Other Side of the District 'cause I've always been wondering what–"

"Definitely _no!_" Drew's mother exclaimed looking horrified. "You will _never _set foot on that place, is that clear, Drew?"

For the first time in weeks, Drew's mother actually shut her up for a minute or so. Although the silence didn't last when she finally knew what to say.

"But I was never able to see that place!" she said in a whiny voice. "I hear so much about it and it's like I'm the only one who hasn't seen it! Kids in my school go on and on and on and on and on and on, though I don't even remember what they say about it but–"

"Don't you remember the last time you went exploring, Drew?" her mother snapped. "Look at the side of your stomach and let's see you remember what happened that day you disobeyed my orders and left home."

Drew kept her mouth shut for another short while, her hand darting to the side of her stomach from the outside of her shirt. She thought about lifting her shirt and feeling it but she didn't want to remember much from that day. It felt much better to just leave it hidden and for her not to see it again.

"That was an accident, mom!" Drew said, rolling her eyes. "It's not like it's going to happen again. Can you please, please, _please _just let me go? I won't do anything! I just want to see The Other Side for myself!"

"Peacekeepers don't make accidents, Drew. They kill and punish whoever they think steps out in line and you being there at that place at that time made them think you were part of the whole chaos, hence the gun pointed at your direction," Avery said a cold, monotone voice, not even looking up from her plate of breakfast foods.

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine..." Drew grumbled.

Avery growled.

"Enough," their mother snapped. "Drew isn't going anywhere and that is final. Now, you two, go upstairs and dress up for school."

Drew stood up but Avery roughly pushed her with her shoulder as she walked to the staircase. Drew turned to follow her, but she wasn't going up to dress up for school. Her mom didn't allow her today but then again, she never did before either. But that certainly didn't stop Drew from going out the first time. Sure, it led to an unexpected attack which Drew would never be able to forget since there was literally something inside of her that made sure she wouldn't ever let that particular memory out of her head. Although there was something in The Other Side that made Drew so curious about it. Everyone talked about it, but most talked about it with fear and disgust. It intrigued Drew that a place would actually lead to that kind of reaction from people.

Since her mother's decision didn't stop her the first time, it didn't stop her this time either.

* * *

**Life Before the Reaping**

**_Langston Calder, 15_**

* * *

Langston sat on the sidewalk outside his small and temporary shack he called his home. About a week or two from now, his parents would be forced to pay rent with money they didn't even have. Langston sighed and rested his head on his knees. When was their suffering going to end? Was it ever going to?

The Calders lived in the poorest side of District Five. There weren't much families living nearby but everyone in this side of the District were at the same level. They were all starving and family members died day by day. Langston considered himself lucky that him and the rest of his family haven't starved enough to die yet.

In the wealthier and more livable side of District Five, everyone called this place "The Other Side". Even though it's very well shown that their place was indeed part of the District itself, the teens and children tended to see it as an outsider place that the District liked to overlook. Langston didn't have friends in The Other Side. Most of the people who lived here were much much older than him or a number of years younger than him. That didn't stop him from working with the elder men though. He worked in the factory day and night.

There were also days where his father would drag him to a secret place in the house. It was just a cabinet inside his tiny bedroom but there weren't much places you could hide things in the tiny house they lived in. Langston never liked being dragged by his father to look at his special spear and javelin collection. Langston's father always dreamed of him finally manning up to pick up the spear and throw it at the heart of a peacekeeper. Langston would never do that though and because of this, his father has never been so disappointed in him.

As Langston sat under the starry night sky at approximately ten in the evening, he heard a young girl's voice humming. She hummed an old song. It was a song Langston recognized and it was definitely a song the peacekeepers would recognize as well. Langston's clear blue eyes widened when she started to sing the lyrics as well.

_Little green tree,_

_It's trunk tough as it can be._

_Beware its mighty plan,_

_As it aims to control the man._

_Wise and gentle old friend,_

_Achieves his lifetime goal._

_With power, the tree prevails._

_But without it's trunk,_

_Little green tree is sent to it's grave._

_Little green tree withers,_

_Though with time, it grows._

_Again, the little green tree,_

_Is as tough as it can be,_

_But the man goes on to plan,_

_And with the world,_

_He works hand-in-hand_

Fnally, the mystery singer reveals herself when she turns a corner on Langston's street. Langston stood up to see the girl better and for a second he thought she was a blonde though the closer she got, he noticed it was just the light of the moon that made it look lighter than it actually is. Her load of light brown hair was cut clumsily short as it rested messily on her head. Her eyes twinkled brightly as she sang the song. Langston could say by the look of her innocent face, she had no idea what that song was actually about. If the peacekeepers heard her singing it, she'd be arrested for sure.

Langston expected her to stop when she would pass by him, but it was like she had not seen him at all. When she disappeared, the sound of her voice disappeared as well and Langston wondered if he really did see a girl singing pass by him. Maybe he was just imagining things.

"_Pst, Langston_!"

Jumping at the voice, Langston immediately turned around, his blue eyes extra bright under the moonlight and his hand darting to flatten his spiky midnight black hair. It was a habit of his, trying to flatten his hair though nothing he does actually makes it flat. He felt his face warm when he saw the blonde beauty, Georgia Salado, looking out of a deserted alleyway in Langston's street, waving for him to come into the alley with her.

His heart thumped rapidly against his chest as he ran to her. It was pitch black in the alley so he could barely even see Georgia. Georgia seemed to have sensed how uncomfortable it was for Langston to be in a place so dark with her, so she pulled out her flashlight and turned it on. Langston tried not to gawk at her perfect features and beautiful stormy eyes. He couldn't help but think how little his chance with her was since she was so beautiful and he was stuck with an imperfect face with a permanent scar running down his right cheek. His overly bright eyes were as big as an owl's and his sunken cheekbones gave him a "sick man" look.

"What are you doing here?" he blurted out, unable to take the silence.

"I came to see you, silly!" Georgia said with a laugh that sounded like angels in heaven singing and made Langston's knees go weak.

"You don't belong here," Langston mumbled, embarrassed. "This is The Other Side... It's not a good place for you to be..."

"Stop saying that, Langston," Georgia said with a roll of her eyes. "I'll go here to see you if I want to."

"But–"

"Langston, I'm seriously okay with you living in this place!" Georgia interrupted. "Sure, it's a bit of a... Erm... step down from my place, but it's fine!"

Langston couldn't help but let her words sting. He knew she didn't mean anything but Georgia had a flaw of speaking without truly understanding how the person she was speaking to would feel. Langston sighed.

"You should go home, Georgia," he said in his usual reserved and quiet voice. "The peacekeepers wouldn't want to see you here. Nor will your parents, I presume."

Georgia bit her lip. "I suppose..." she said. "Will you be okay?"

"I will," Langston faked a smile. "Go home, Georgia. I'll see you again next time."

Georgia opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it, nodded and walked further down the alley that led to the good part of District Five. Langston watched his childhood friend until she was no longer seen and her flashlight turned off. Langston had met her in the factory his siblings worked in since her parents managed the whole place. She had been finding ways to visit him in The Other Side ever since. He used to always look forward to her visits but now, even though he's still head over heels for her, he's starting to get more distant from everyone and even she noticed it.

"I am such an idiot," Langston muttered before walking back to the shack he called his home.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Drew Perrin, 15_**

* * *

Drew's Reaping Day started off with another "serious" talk with her mother.

"I still can't believe you left to see that disgusting place, Drew!" her mother exclaimed while Drew prepared for the Reaping.

"Yeah, I heard you the first time."

"Drew, answer me properly when I speak to you!"

"I just wanted to see what was there! I also can't believe how the people there are treated like outcasts in school. It all makes so much sense now that I've seen the place for myself. I can't help but feel sorry for them! Their houses are like the size of my bathroom and the people there look for food on the road and they all have the same dark and desperate looks and like– Oh, is that _cake_?"

Drew ran to the box Avery was bringing to the kitchen and started stuffing her mouth with cake, completely forgetting her conversation with her mother.

A few hours later, they were walking to the Reaping Center of District Five. Drew's mother clutched Ben's hand tightly as he asked her questions about the start of the "game show" they were about to watch.

"I can't believe mom insists on keeping Ben in the dark with the Hunger Games," Drew whispered to Avery in her swift way of talking meaning she was going to go on and on until something else catches her attention. "I mean, I eventually found out when I left the house before and he's going to find out when he's twelve so I really don't see the whole point of all of this when he's going to find out anyway and like–"

"Look, it's raining," Avery said in her usual monotone voice, attempting to shut Drew up about Ben.

Unsurprisingly, it worked. She shut up about Ben. Now she was talking about rain.

"Isn't it odd that it hardly ever even rains in District Five? I think it may have something to do with the geography of District Five since it's in a place where you can hardly see any trees around but I don't understand why the song Little Green Tree originated in District Five when there aren't even any trees–"

Drew's mouth was suddenly covered by Avery's mouth.

"_Are you insane_?" Avery hissed.

The sisters stopped in line, separating from their mother and Ben a little while ago.

"You don't just shout out that song here when there are peacekeepers everywhere!" she whispered angrily.

"Don't hold the line," a peacekeeper snapped, grabbing Drew and Avery and pushing them roughly to the peacekeeper who pricked their fingers.

They walked to their places with the fifteen year-olds and for Avery, the sixteen year-olds and sadly for Avery, both ages were right beside each other so Drew still managed to stand beside her sister. Drew ignored what Avery had said about the song earlier and continued on and on about rain in District Five. It was only drizzling for a few minutes, but after the last child had his finger pricked, the rain fell heavily on the citizens of the District.

Only the stage, where some peacekeepers, the mayor and District Five's escort, Saden Hamelbomb were staying, was covered and they were the only ones who weren't completely soaked by the water. The starting video of every reaping could barely be heard. Drew had to shout for Avery to hear what she was saying and for her to hear her own voice. The sisters barely even noticed Saden Hamelbomb greet the District as a whole.

Avery only stopped glaring fiercely at Drew when Saden and his oversized neon pink t-shirt and tight leapard-print pants walked briskly to the glass ball filled with slips of papers which wrote the name of the girls entered for the reaping of the Hunger Games. Though unlike Avery, Drew didn't notice Saden at all.

"–_and to be honest, I've never actually seen rain like this anywhere! Maybe it's something the peacekeepers did for dramatic effect, you know? I gotta give them credit, it does actually fit the whole gloomy atmosphere of this whole_–"

"_Drew Perrin_!"

For the first time ever in her whole existence, Drew actually fell silent and she wasn't planning on opening her mouth anytime soon. No thinking of a witty reply or a plead to have what she wanted. Also, for the first time ever, Avery dropped her whole act of being serious and emotionless and she turned to Drew, her mouth wide open and her eyes big, blue and watery.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Langston Calder, 15_**

* * *

_She was the girl._

Langston watched the girl who was reaped, Drew Perrin. She shakily walked up the stage, and the grin that Langston remembered her to have was still there except it was smaller and uneasy. Langston was positive that she was the girl he saw walking in his street one night.

The same twinkle was present in her eyes but behind that, Langston could sense her utter fear. Though, he couldn't help but feel relieved that Georgia wasn't picked. He had been watching her the whole time and he saw how her face immediately relaxed when Drew was picked. He didn't know who Drew Perrin was until he saw numerous heads turn back in the fifteen year-old girls section, including Georgia's. She was completely stiff until she finally started to move forward but a long-haired girl who stood right beside the rope that separated the fifteen year-olds and sixteen year-olds grabbed Drew's wrist. They stood that way for a while until peacekeepers came and pulled Drew out of the sixteen year-old's grasp.

Watching Saden Hamelbomb pick out a piece of paper from the boys' glass bowl felt like time had slowed down for Langston. When Saden picked out the piece of paper, another piece came with it, hanging at the edge of it until Saden shook his hand and the paper fell back in the bowl. Langston drew in a short intake of breath. Someone's life had just been spared. Saden could have simply taken that piece of paper and threw the first one in.

"_Langston Calder_!" Saden shouted out, making sure everyone in the District could hear the doomed boy's name.

"No," Langston mumbled. "This isn't happening. No, no, no, no, no, no, _no_!"

He took a step back and turned around, trying to run the opposite direction from the stage. He saw a peacekeeper already set behind him. He took a step back from the peacekeeper, only to bump into another one who grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the crowd. It was a good thing it was raining so hard because nobody would be able to see the teardrops that he had not been able to hold in.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Drew Perrin, 15_**

* * *

Drew sat on one if the two chairs that came with a dark mahogany table in the room she was dragged in after her reaping. She was completely soaked. The peacekeepers did not even provide her something to dry herself with. It seems that they had not provided anything for her family either because the three of them barged in the room soaking wet as well, and Drew's mother threw herself at Drew, hugging her as tightly as she could, not wanting to let her go.

"I can't believe this," Drew's mother mumbled. "I never ever expected this to happen. I– I thought since we don't apply for tessera and so much more girls out there apply for it! I just– I can't even–"

She suddenly burst into tears, not being able to finish her sentence. Drew tried comforting her with her natural grin on her face though this grin was much weaker than her grins before. Avery just stood there, tightly holding on to Ben who watched the exchange of his mother and sister with mild curiosity.

"Where's Drew going, mom?" Ben asked.

"She's just going to help with the game show this year, dear," his mother answered. "She's going to come back."

While Ben kept asking questions, his mother tried to come up with the best lies in answering all of them. Avery took this opportunity to talk to Drew. Before she could say anything, Drew started her chatter.

"Do you think the President would get mad if I suggested to throw my body in the ocean when I die? Wouldn't that be cool to have your body slowly float down to the bottom and suddenly, sharks start eating you and my soul would be like watching with a bag of popcorn with the other dead tributes and–"

"How can you still be like this when you're practically walking to your doom, Drew?" Avery snapped. "Don't you want to live?"

"Oh, no, I _definitely_ want to die," Drew rolled her eyes, her tone filled with sarcasm until she continued with her normal chattering voice. "Well, of course I want to live! I have a feeling it would be awfully boring with nothing but my own soul with me. Of course there would be other souls from the arena, but what's the fun in interacting with them when most of them want to rip my guts out?"

Before Avery could snap at her again, a peacekeeper came in to force the family out. After one last hug from her mother, Drew watched the three of them leave, an ache in her heart growing. Then, Drew actually thought about her chances of winning in the games. Her hand darted to the side of her stomach where the memories of the pointed gun and the crowd flashed before her eyes. One thing gave her a very big disadvantage. She was practically going in the arena with an injury.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Langston Calder, 15_**

* * *

When Langston's family entered the dark, gloomy room, they all formed a group hug. Langston could hear most of them sniffing and sobbing. He was crying himself. They stayed like that for a while until they all took a step back to let Langston hug his mom alone.

"I am so terrified, honey," she muttered.

"It's going to be fine, mom," Langston replied.

His father stood beside his wife, rubbing her back as a form of comfort. He stared into the eyes of Langston, the two men sharing the same big and overly bright blue eyes.

"That attitude of yours isn't going to get you anywhere in the arena, Langston," he said in a deep voice. "Just remember everything I tried to teach you before. You already have an advantage with your knowledge of spears. When you get there, I want you to train with them. Remember all my tips and instructions. You have to come home, Langston. You cannot die."

Langston could have sworn he heard a slight shake in his father's last words. He slowly nodded, wiping his tears away. He was then pulled into a hug by his twenty-two year-old brother Wayland.

"Damn, I'm gonna miss you, little bro," he said with a smile, his clear eyes gray and watery.

"Wayland, please let go. I'm suffocating here," Langston said with great difficulty.

"Okay, okay," Wayland said, letting him go as he wiped his tears.

Langston's sisters, Keira and Lorelai, hugged Langston at the same time.

"Go and kill some careers for me, will you?" Lorelai said through sobs. "I wish I was picked instead of Perrin. I would be able to look after you in the arena."

"I don't think you can do much with one arm," Wayland bluntly pointed out.

Lorelai growled at him. Langston chuckled. His sister lost her arm at an accident in the factory she worked in. The loss of her arm made her the tough, hard-working daughter of the family.

"As if _you_ can do much with your underdeveloped brain," Keira shot back.

"At least my looks were developed quite perfectly," Wayland grinned.

The door of the dark room opened and a peacekeeper came in to inform Langston's family that they needed to leave. Langston wanted to shout at the peacekeeper for not giving them more time, but his throat was try and nothing would come out of his mouth. For a second there, it felt like an ordinary day at home with Keira and Wayland bickering and Lorelai talking to her father about his secret spear and javelin collection. Langston's eldest brother would simply stay in the corner and say nothing. It was exactly what he did while everyone said goodbye to Langston, until the peacekeeper came in.

Slowly, Langston's family moved towards the door where the peacekeeper stood, waiting. Surprisingly, twenty-four year-old Maddox pulled Langston in for a quick hug.

"Do your best out there," he said, his voice cracking probably because he rarely ever used it.

Langston nodded, quite shocked that Maddox actually spoke to him. Then his family was gone and he was about to burst into more tears but the door opened again and Georgia came in, her eyes red and her face tear-stained. She threw herself at him, hugging him tightly for a whole minute. When she finally let go, she took his hands in hers and stared deeply into his uncommonly bright blue eyes.

"I don't have much time because my parents don't even know I'm here," she said quickly. "You have to do everything you can to survive, Langston. I know you. You're a survivor. One thing that gives you an advantage over those careers and lots of the tributes out there is that you know the pain and you know how to survive. They're not used to that kind of stuff. I know, because that's me! I can relate to those tributes who have no idea what to do once they step in that place. But you do, Langston."

Langston opened his mouth and closed it. He repeated this numerous times until he finally started to say it. He had to tell her how he felt about her. He couldn't go in that arena without telling her. She had to know.

"Georgia, I–"

But before he could finish, Georgia burst into tears and ran out of the room without another word. Langston stood there in utter shock and his heart breaking into a million pieces.

* * *

**Hey guys! Here it is, District Five! Hope you like them and I hope I portrayed them well enough. The song in this chapter will be discussed more in the future chapters with Drew Perrin in them. Thanks for the motivational reviews! Love you all! More reviews, the more motivation to update so please review! I would appreciate it greatly. :)**

**~jess**


	5. District Two: Revenge

**_Kellisa Partage, District 2 Girl_**

_**Ares Hammersmith, District 2 Boy**_

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Kellisa Partage, 16_**

* * *

Drawing the string back, she took deep breaths focusing solely on her target. She blew a long strand of brown hair that fell on her face, silently cursing her bandana for not holding it back. She tried to focus on her target again, taking the usual deep breaths and let her stormy eyes pierce through what she aimed for. Finally, she let the arrow fly and it whizzed through the air until it sunk in the heart of the mannequin.

Smirking, she reached for another arrow from her sheath she wore at her back. She drew the string back and let the arrow fly, this time piercing in the mannequin's head. She believed she was ready for a bigger challenge. She walked to the side of the archery center and pressed a big red button that lay on display on the wall.

A number of mannequins sprouted out of the ground and some came from inside the walls. Mechanical hands moved the mannequins from left to right, front to back. Kellisa Partage ran to the challenge and took down her first mannequin which was the closest to shoot. After taking one down, the rest starting to move faster. It was like a chain reaction. When one is shot, the others start moving faster and faster.

After a series of jumping and tumbling on the floor to keep herself from getting hit by the mannequins, she finally took them all down. They once again stood motionless, arrows pierced through their hearts, heads and necks. After a full minute, the mannequins sunk back down under the floor and into the walls meaning the challenge was done.

"Bravo, Kellisa."

Kellisa looked up and saw her archery trainer, Fresia Hammersmith, looking down from the balcony of the archery center.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Kellisa snapped, keeping herself from taking an aim with her bow and arrow.

"I _am_ your trainer, aren't I?" Fresia said with a chuckle, a cold smile present on her face.

"You were my trainer until last year. I'm a master now. I can become a trainer myself. I don't need you. But becoming a trainer isn't my goal anyway. My goal goes further than that."

"I know, I know, you want to bring honor back to your family, _blah, blah, blah_, your brother died in the Hunger Games, _blah blah_," Fresia uninterestedly said, examining her nails.

Kellisa growled, her right hand twitching to reach for an arrow to load her bow.

"I know your son is volunteering, Fresia," she said in a low, threatening tone. "I have my own message for him. Tell him he better watch his back. We may be in the same District and alliance, but he'll never know when he'll find an arrow flying his way."

Kellisa sprung into position with her bow and arrow in lightning speed. She shot three consecutive arrows on a mannequin, one at its head, one at it's neck and the last at its heart. She snuck a glance at Fresia but it irritated her that the same cocky smirk stayed on the blonde's face.

"What makes you think you'll be chosen by the Academy to volunteer, Kellisa?" Fresia raised her eyebrow. "Your brother's defeat already shows how weak your family is."

"_He was not weak_!" Kellisa said angrily. "You know who _I_ think is weak? Your oh, so perfect victor of a daughter."

"_Don't you dare_," Fresia hissed.

Kellisa smirked, knowing she finally hit a nerve.

"Raegan Hammersmith couldn't even face my brother," Kellisa continued. "Everyone just worships her because she's a victor. She killed my brother in his sleep. She was a _coward_."

Fresia's face had a tinge of red on it. Her icy eyes bulged out of their sockets and her lips were tightly pursed.

"I don't need the Academy's permission to volunteer either," Kellisa said. "Oh, and tell Ares I'll be seeing him in the games. Unlike the coward he _actually_ chooses to call his sister, I'll be facing him where were both armed and wide-awake. Now, _that_ would be a real battle."

Expressionless, Kellisa took aim with her bow and arrow towards the balcony where Fresia Hammersmith still stood. She let the arrow fly and it whizzed past Fresia, about an inch from piercing through her cheek. Instead, it sunk in the wall behind her.

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Ares Hammersmith, 18_**

* * *

All he could think of was to train and train and train. If he was going to get out of the arena alive, he had to perfect his skills with his swordsmanship. He couldn't make a mistake. Mistakes were in the past. They needed to be forgotten. This was his chance to finally take a step up and be on the same level as his sister. He was tired of being in the shadows his whole life. He was always second-best. Now that he was chosen to volunteer, he can show the whole of Panem how he's just as good as Raegan and the Hammersmiths will be a family of victors.

When Ares walked in the training center for spears and swords, he picked out his favorite twin swords and together with the rest of the trainees, he chose his mannequin and worked his brutal magic on it. Although before he took his first swing, he heard a loud whizzing sound and a noise similar to darts thrown at a dart board. He immediately cursed himself for picking a spot in the training center closest to the archery range.

Before Ares could even try to shut out the archery noise, a trainer called for him. Grumbling about how he had not even started to train, he walked briskly to the trainer.

"What do you want?" Ares snapped.

"Someone's here to see you," the trainer said before leaving to teach the new trainees.

Ares was about to call him back to ask who needed to see him, but that question was answered when the nearest door opened and a tall, smirking figure stepped in, gaining the eyes of almost everyone in the training center. Gasps and whispers spread across the room.

"_She's here_!"

"_But I thought she lived in the Capitol_?"

"_So that's Raegan_?"

"Brother!" Raegan Hammersmith greeted Ares with a wide smile, showing her perfect white teeth. She flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder and walked over to Ares.

Ares turned to everyone who watched his exchange with his sister and sent them all a glare causing them to return hurriedly to their training.

"Why are you here, Raegan?" Ares asked, turning back to her.

The siblings looked more alike than people may think. Ares was much taller than Raegan but they shared the same silky blonde hair, sharp muscular features and piercing blue eyes.

"I'm here to inform you about something," Raegan said with her eyebrows raised and her eyes twinkling. "I'm going to be your mentor this year."

Ares narrowed his eyes at her. "You're kidding," he said slowly, clearly not pleased with this whole arrangement.

"No. As a matter of fact, I'm not kidding," she grinned.

"I'm not going to do anything you tell me."

"Oh, Ares, you're going to listen to me if you want to win," Raegan said with a sickly smile. "Don't you want to win? Or are you too much of a coward to be in that arena?"

"Says the girl who kills when they sleep," Ares mumbled.

Raegan raised her eyebrows. "How do you suppose you win the Hunger Games, Ares? Do you think you can take down all 23 other tributes in that arena?"

"I've been training longer than any of them there."

"You are _such_ a career, Ares," Raegan said in disappointed. "You're not going to win with that mentality of yours in that arena. You must see everyone else as an equal because you yourself have no idea what _they_ are capable of. Do you want to know why I kill at night? Because I don't underestimate my enemies, Ares. I know each and every one of these tributes have their own specialty whether it's with fighting or something else. I kill them in their sleep because I know that chances are, I may not even have chances with them when they're awake. It might seem cowardly, but it's clever to use my kind of mentality to win. Slowly, I take them down one by one and I don't even break a sweat. All I have to do is wait till they let exhaustion get the better of them and I swoop in and slit their throats."

"I know I'm better than most the tributes out there, Raegan," Ares simply replied.

"Very well," Raegan stiffly said. "Another thing, Ares. Watch out for Partage."

Ares frowned. "The girl? _She_ was chosen? Why would anyone even think about choosing her when everyone thinks her family is weak ever since her brother let himself get killed so easily by you?"

"No, but that's not stopping her from volunteering herself. You better kill her before she kills you first. She's not our biggest fan. Remember, Ares, it won't hurt to see the other tributes as equals for once. That kind of arrogance of yours will possibly lead to your death."

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Kellisa Partage, 16_**

* * *

No one knew of her plans to volunteer. Kellisa would hear the citizens of District Two gossip about this years volunteer tributes. There was an eighteen year-old girl who was chosen, but it was obvious she didn't want to volunteer that year. She was Geovana Wretchen and compared to Kellisa, she was weak. Her parents forced her to train and it was possible that they bribed the heads of the Academy to choose her to volunteer. Just by looking at her short, lean figure and her inability to carry heavy weapons, Kellisa knew she would be dead by the bloodbath.

Kellisa walked to the District Square alone. Her mother opted to stay behind for a little longer to help her younger brother and sister dress up for the reaping. Not even her own family knew of her plans. Kellisa wondered how they would react. Would they visit her in the Justice Building? They probably would although they might use up all their time shouting at her, and telling her how stupid she was for actually volunteering.

They wouldn't even know how it felt in her place. She was the one most affected by her brother's death because she was the one who trained. She was a laughing stock in the Academy, but no one there knew of her skills exactly. They didn't know how dangerous she really was. When she gets in that arena, she'll show the whole of Panem.

"Kellisa! Hey, babe, wait up!"

Out if complete shock and panic, Kellisa swiftly turned around and threw a punch at the boy's face.

"_Ah_! _What the hell, Kellisa?_"

She blinked slowly a few times until she realized it was her boyfriend who had been calling her. Cursing herself for acting without thinking, she lifted up her boyfriend's chin and she saw how his dark eyes were starting to water from pain and he held up his nose with a handkerchief.

"I'm so sorry, Zayden!" she gasped.

"It's fine, it's fine," he mumbled. "Not the first time anyway..."

Kellisa grinned uneasily at him. "Sorry..."

Zayden waved her off. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine. Lets head to the reaping now, shall we?"

Kellisa felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach when Zayden mentioned the reaping. He didn't know what she was about to do. How would he react? Would he be furious that she didn't even mention it to him? Maybe it was best to tell him... But she didn't tell her family either. Zayden must have noticed that something was wrong because he scrunched up his eyebrows and his eyes narrowed.

"Is there anything wrong?" he asked.

"Zayden, I have to break up with you," Kellisa blurted out, her gray eyes starting to water but she refused to let the tears fall.

"Wha– Huh?" Zayden stuttered, looking extremely confused.

"You'll know why later."

Before Zayden could say anything else, Kellisa shakily apologized and ran for the District Square.

* * *

Together with the other sixteen year-olds in her District, she waited impatiently for the video to finally finish and for District Two's escort, Desenza Flicker, to pick out a name. She looked so ridiculous on stage with her rainbow-striped pants, bright blue skin and bright green hair with blonde streaks. Her annoying accent echoed in the District Square, wishing everyone luck and told our volunteers to get ready.

Kellisa couldn't help the smirk grow on her face. She snuck a glance at the eighteen year-old girls and Geovana Wretchen was there, her eyes wide with fear and her hands shaking. It was quite a sight to see. Maybe if Kellisa just let her volunteer, she'd have fun watching the start of the games. It would erase her brother's death from everyone's memories and Geovana's family would the new laughing stock of District Two.

But Geovana's wouldn't be able to do but what she's wanted since her brother died; revenge on the Hammersmiths.

"Let's start with the ladies first, shall we?" Desenza said with a grin, walking over to the glass ball to her right. She stuffed her hand inside and immediately took out a piece of paper. When she finally reached the mic, she unfolded the strip. "_Geovana Wretchen_!"

Kellisa's eyes widened in shock and she immediately turned to see Geovana's reaction. Her hands were shaking even more and she repeatedly shook her head. Kellisa wondered about her reaction for a second, then she finally understood that Geovana was never going to volunteer. She didn't want to so she wasn't going to, despite her parents' wishes. But now that she was reaped, she had no choice but to go. Then Kellisa returned to her senses and pushed her way to the front. When she was finally out of the crowd, she raised her right hand and opened her mouth, her voice shaky but determined.

"I volunteer."

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Ares Hammersmith, 18_**

* * *

Ares narrowed his piercing blue eyes at the brunette who just volunteered. It took her a while. Ares thought for a second there he'd be facing the arena with Geovana Wretchen. Of course, Kellisa Partage would never let that happen. She was after him of course.

Desenza Flicker called Kellisa up the stage, a huge grin pasted on her face. She asked for her name, and Kellisa's voice echoed in the District Square. Everyone started to whisper and mutter at the mention of her name. _Partage_, they would repeat. Everyone knew about them and it was quite a shock for them to see another Partage volunteer. Ares could even hear snickers from the crowd. It made him want to laugh as well. Although, he wasn't going to kill her like how his sister killed her brother. He was better than that. He knew he could take her down. She came from a weak family. Ares came from a family of victors.

"Boys next!" Desenza happily said, walking to the glass ball to her left and picked out a piece of paper that lay on top of the mountain of paper slips. "Federico Yangston!"

There were a few gasps from the twelve year-olds but the rest of the square was quiet, already knowing what was coming next.

"I volunteer!" Ares shouted out, a smirk on his face as he stayed put in his spot with the eighteen year-olds. He didn't bother to push his was through anyone because everyone moved to create a path for him.

He strutted to the stage and he was well-aware of the glare Kellisa was sending him. He didn't let it bother him and sent her a wink. He saw her eyes widen and her bottom lip quiver out of rage. Ares almost laughed at how easy it was for him to rile her up. _Killing her awake would probably be as easy as killing her asleep_, Ares thought. He passed by Raegan who sat on one of the chairs by the stage. It was like Raegan could hear his thoughts because she shook her head slowly and her warning came up in Ares' thoughts.

_Remember, Ares, it won't hurt to see the other tributes as equals for once. That kind of arrogance of yours will possibly lead to your death._

He thought about this for a while but in the end, he pushed it out of his head and stood tall beside Kellisa, the same arrogant smirk and twinkling bright eyes present on his face.

"What's your name, handsome?" Desenza asked with a flirty grin.

"Ares Hammersmith," he said, his voice low and filled with confidence.

"A Hammersmith!" Desenza said in shock, glancing at Raegan.

"Indeed," Ares replied.

"Well, this is going to be an interesting Hunger Games, isn't it? We have a Partage and a Hammersmith for another year in the Games!"

Desenza's excitement for this year's games was quite contagious. Ares was openly grinning, sneaking a glance at Kellisa. She was still staring at him. It was actually more of glaring. Ares only grinned back at her.

"Tributes, shake hands!" Desenza said cheerily, watching the two with wide eyes as if expecting them to start the games early and start killing each other on stage.

Ares extended his hand, raising his blonde eyebrows at his District partner. She took his hand in hers, slowly shaking it. Their eyes never left each others', piercing blue meeting stormy gray. For Ares, it was definitely going to be an easy Hunger Games to win. Of course, Raegan's warning still wandered in his thoughts.

_It won't hurt to see the other tributes as equals for once _

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Kellisa Partage, 16_**

* * *

"Make it quick."

The peacekeeper pushed in Kellisa's family and the three of them rushed over to the shaken tribute of District Two.

"I can't believe you just did that," her mother whispered, sniffing as she sobbed into her eldest daughter's shoulder.

"I'm doing this for Carson," Kellisa whispered, feeling her own tears falling.

"You didn't have to," her mother said when she finally let her daughter go. "He wouldn't want you to do this."

"But mom, you don't understand! You don't train in the Academy! You don't get laughed at every single day! They think I'm weak, mom! But I'm _not_!"

"I just don't think I can handle losing another child, Kellisa," she whispered shakily.

"You won't lose me," Kellisa said sounding determined as she angrily wiped off the tears on her face.

Suddenly, Kellisa felt selfish. She should have talk this over with her mother. She didn't realize how much her volunteering would affect her. She already lost one child. If Kellisa didn't come back, she would probably lose her mind and her two younger siblings would lose their mother. Kellisa almost cursed herself for not even caring if she would come out of the arena or not. All she cared about was to show everyone that her family wasn't weak and kill Ares Hammesmith and wipe his stupid smirk off his stupid face.

Kellisa bit her lip while she hugged her nine year-old brother and five year-old sister. They both asked her where she was going and when she was coming back but she just shook her head, mentally shouting at herself not to cry. If she cried more, the whole of Panem would see her tear-stained cheeks and red eyes. They would definitely think she was weak when they see a sight like that.

After a few more minutes of saying goodbye, her family was taken out of the room and Kellisa was alone once again. She wiped her face and blinked repeatedly, willing them to return to their normal stormy gray color. She thought she just needed to wait until the peacekeeper would come back in and lead her to the train but someone unexpected came in to see her.

"Hello, Kellisa," Fresia Hammersmith silkily greeted her, her blood red lips curving up to a smirk that reminded Kellisa so much of her son.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Kellisa muttered, narrowing her eyes at her old trainer.

"Just a trainer wishing her trainee some luck," Fresia said. "I _was_ the one who taught you everything you know now."

Kellisa didn't say anything because she knew it was true. Fresia was her one and only trainer and she actually liked her until her brother went in the Hunger Games and was killed by her daughter. She's been boasting about her daughter's success ever since.

"I don't need any luck from _you_," Kellisa hissed as though she was addressing someone highly disgusting. In fact, she actually was.

"I'm just here to tell you that my son doesn't have the same mentality as Raegan," Fresia said no longer smirking and her tone meaning business. "When he kills you, you'll be awake and you _will _feel every single stab he does on your body."

"I'd like to see him try," Kellisa snarled.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Ares Hammersmith, 18_**

* * *

"Look who's District Two's future victor! _Bravo_, Ares. Way to put up a show for volunteering at the reaping! ...I'm just kidding, love, that volunteer was a yawn. I've seen better."

Ares growled at the greeting. Raegan had entered the room alone, clapping slowly and uninterestedly as she stepped in. As she spoke, Ares heard a tinge of a Capitol accent in her speaking which almost made Ares barf out his lunch today. He had nothing against the Capitol itself but he thought the accents were a bit too much.

"Nice to see you too, Raegan," Ares mumbled.

"Why so sad, little brother?" Raegan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did it finally occur to you that you're really not coming out of that arena alive?"

Ares yelled a curse at her making her laugh and her eyes twinkle.

"That's not how you treat a victor, Ares," Raegan scolded him with a smirk.

"You'll be bowing down to me when I come out of that arena."

"Oh, will I?"

"Yes," Ares said through gritted teeth. "I know how to win, Raegan. I don't need your help or anyone else's."

"Prepare for your death, Ares," Raegan said with a fake sad sigh. "It will be an eventful one. I'm trying to be a good mentor here, but you can't seem to listen."

"I'll listen to you when I'm dead."

"I won't have to wait too long then," she sent him a wink.

The peacekeeper then opened the door of the room they were in and announced that Raegan had to go. She snapped at the peacekeeper, asking him if that was really how they treated victors in this District. He seemed pretty shaken but he held his ground and insisted she left. Raegan muttered about peacekeepers and how they should treat her like she's a queen here. Ares could only sigh in relief when she was finally gone.

Although he desperately wanted to block her out of his focus on the games, Raegan's words still flooded his head and it messed with his confidence. Instead of making him feel like a piece of trash, Raegan was supposed to help him get through the games and help him with good advice. So far, he thought the advice she was giving was far from good. She wasn't making him feel ready for the games at all. If anything, she was actually getting him nervous. He wasn't supposed to get nervous. But out of all of the people in Panem, he knew that if there was one person that could shake him up, it was Raegan. Her words messed up his mindset for the games entirely.

_Did it finally occur to you that you're really not coming out of that arena alive?_

* * *

**Hey guys! I updated pretty fast because I seriously need the reapings over with to advance to more complicated stuff like the interviews, trainings and the like. Thank you for those who read and reviewed! Xxx**

**Reviews give me a great deal of motivation so please, review!**

**~jess**


	6. District Six: Complicated

**_Macy Zimmer, District 6 Girl _**

**_Percy Eden, District 6 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Macy Zimmer, 16_**

* * *

Macy was in a vast, dark place with a starry night sky above and nothing but bare ground below her feet. She held nothing but a forest green pendant, hanging from the tips of her fingers. She took a step forward, holding her gaze forward as though she was waiting for someone to appear. It was as if something or someone could read her thoughts and sense her desire for company in the cold, lonely place. A boy who stood tall and grinning materialized out of thin air. Macy felt her own grin tugging on her lips, but a knife spins out of nowhere and lodges itself on the boy's back, his sandy hair flying as his neck nearly cracked backwards. Slowly, he falls to the ground on his knees and the rest of his upper body follows.

Macy tried to scream out his name but she couldn't seem to move. She was paralyzed as she stared at the dead body of her boyfriend. Her eyes that so matched her green pendant bulged out of their sockets. When she finally returned to her senses and took another step forward, her lifeless boyfriend disappeared and a woman was seen, appearing very much like Macy herself with long, flowing chocolate-colored hair and a delicate round face with a soft smile.

"Mom?" Macy called softly with her eyes wide with fear as she locked eyes with her mother, afraid she would die as well.

"Just a few more days, Macy," her mother replied with a smile that didn't quite reach her unusually depressed and dark blue eyes that normally sparkled with happiness.

Then a whole army of past careers from the previous games appeared behind Macy's sad mother. They threw their knives and spears and charged with their swords. It was only a matter of time till they would finally reach her mother and chop her up. Screaming, Macy ran but she was too far. The career who won three games ago sliced her head off causing Macy to go hysterical.

Although in the real world, Macy Zimmer actually _was_ going hysterical.

"Macy! _Macy_! My baby, _wake up_!" her mother had grabbed her wrists to keep them from hurting anyone as she was flailing around and screaming her head off. "Macy Zimmer, _wake up now_!"

Something in Emma Zimmer's desperate calls shook Macy awake from her nightmare. Her mother nearly gasped when Macy opened her eyes, and instead of her usual dark and sleepy green eyes, she saw the pair were wide, terrified and bloodshot.

"M–Mom," she whispered shakily, tears leaking from her seemingly mutated eyes. "You're alive... You're all alive..."

"Yes, honey, I am," her mother replied. She lifted her shaking hand up to wipe Macy's tears. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Macy stayed silent for a long while, leaning back down on her bed and shifting her body to face the other side of her room as she refused to look at her mother, especially after what she saw. She could possibly be the one doing those things if she were reaped. She could be the one beheading tributes and stabbing them in the back literally. The thought of even holding a weapon makes her shake. The reaping was in a few days and she was not ready at all. She didn't take any tessera, but this was a yearly thing. The Hunger Games made Macy lose her mind, although not entirely. The old sweet Macy was still inside her and she knew this because after the reaping, she would slowly return to her usual selfless self.

"No, I don't," Macy mumbled, finally answering her mother who had stayed in the room to wait for her answer.

"Breakfast is ready, dear," her mother said softly, rubbing Macy's back with her palm. "Just go down when you're ready."

When her mother left, Macy didn't have to hold anything in anymore just so her mother wouldn't worry too much. She cried soundlessly on her bed, trying her best not to let out a whimper. She just wanted the tears to finally fall and she wouldn't have to feel like she was holding ten gallons of water in her eyelids. She didn't even realize how long she had been in her room. She supposedly had school today, but her mother was gracious enough to let her stay home and organize her thoughts. At about four in the afternoon, the same sandy-haired boy who died first in her dream stepped in her room.

"Why weren't you in school, Macy?" he asked in a quiet, concerned tone. It was so rare for Max to be so silent and gentle. He was usually so energetic and he had so much in his mind to say.

"You shouldn't see me like this, Max," Macy mumbled.

"Come on, Macy. I highly doubt you'll be getting reaped," Max assured her, sitting in the bed and rubbing her back for comfort. "You have like five slips of paper with your name in that glass ball. Some girls here put in more than twenty in there."

"What if the odds won't exactly be in my favor this year, Max?"

"I guess that's just what I'm afraid of as well," Max muttered, lifting his legs up on the bed and he lay down comfortably beside her. He wrapped his arms around the terrified sixteen year-old, both dreading what was coming in the next few days.

* * *

**Life Before the Reaping**

**_Percy Eden, 16_**

* * *

"_Percy_! Watch me swing higher!"

"That's great, Robin," Percy muttered, sitting on the table set on District Six's public playground that wasn't too far from his house. He read a thick history book as he sat quietly, his bright speck-filled green eyes narrowed as he read.

"Percy, you're not even looking!"

Sighing heavily, Percy snapped his book shut and lifted his head up as he raked his brown hair with his fingers. He raised his thin eyebrows at his twelve year-old brother. He was shocked to see Robin with his two feet back on the ground and the swing swinging alone at the force of the wind.

"I thought you were swinging," Percy asked, not sounding very interested.

"Well you're no fun to be with in the playground," Robin said before sticking out his tongue.

"Must be a pain."

"You're no fun at all, Percy!" Robin complained. "I want Jake and Jack!"

Percy almost huffed at the sound of the names of his brothers. Jake and Jack, both identical to the core, were twins who just had their last year in the reaping last year and they finally were able to start working to support their family. The two never had time for Robin anymore, which greatly annoyed Percy since his little brother needed all the attention in their family he could get. As a child, Percy never did get enough loving and attention from his own family and he wanted Robin to get the complete opposite of what he got.

"You can't have them 'cause they're stuck in work to provide for your needs and expenses, Robin," Percy rolled his eyes. "You're stuck with me here and there's nothing you can do about it."

"At least Jake and Jack are fun."

Robin started to walk back to the house, leaving Percy behind. Percy wasn't complaining since he's wanted to go back home since he got to the park. He would sometimes even want to play with Robin, but he knew there was a time for playing games and being serious. The reapings were in a few days and Percy would possibly get reaped. He doesn't have much experience and knowledge over weapons, so he would focus to learning survival and facts that would possibly help him win, like reading about the past Hunger Games and knowing how the past victors won.

His current favorite was how Raegan Hammersmith won. It was quick, silent and she hardly even broke a sweat. That was the life of killing. There was no dramatic battle; no sob story told before a knife sunk in to end a life. Although it was quite boring to watch, Percy would bet his entire life savings (though this wouldn't be much) that Raegan was quite relieved that she didn't have to get in the hassle of going against someone. Percy wished he could do that as well, but one thing that Raegan had was training so she knew how to be so silent and to kill so easily. She located each of the tributes around the arena on her own, using her own smarts and some clues to get her there.

That was what Percy was actually focusing on. He had to be clever if he were to get picked. He already accepted the fact that there was indeed a big chance that he would be reaped since he took quite a number of tessera and he didn't let Robin take any for himself. He doesn't exactly show it very well, but Percy loved his brother very much. No way would he ever let Robin take any tessera if it meant raising his chances in getting his name picked out of the glass bowl.

When Percy entered the tiny house they had that settled at the corner of the street, his frantic, blue-eyed sister came out from one of the rooms and took notice of Percy and Robin's arrival.

"Percy, could you walk over to the train station and tell Kurtis Zimmer dad's not going to work today?" Eliza Eden said quickly, her thick brown hair bouncing as she walked over to the front door and reopened it. Percy sighed at the short time he had spent in his humble abode, only to leave once again to do one of his sister's duties.

"Why can't _you–"_

"Would you rather watch dad and risk getting the sickness yourself?" Eliza snapped, obviously worried about their father. "Dad's gone feverish and if the district healer won't come, he may end up like mom by the end of the day."

Percy felt a familiar pain in the chest at Eliza's words about their mother. Eliza must have seen the look on Percy's face and quickly started to apologize, but Percy didn't bother to listen, swinging the front door open, steeping outside and closing it with a loud bang.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Macy Zimmer, 16_**

* * *

Macy couldn't sleep, eat or even get up from her bed on the day of the reaping. Her father encouraged her to get some more sleep before, but she could barely close her eyes without seeing all her loved ones dead, killed by a couple of careers and peacekeepers. The only person who could calm her when she saw these visions was Max who stayed in her house almost the whole day just to make sure Macy was doing all right.

After lunch, she was finally forced out of bed to bathe and change. Her father dragged her outside to walk to the middle of the district where the reapings were normally held. Because of her father's presence, Macy was able to hold herself while walking, occasionally smiling to people she knew and cheerfully saying hi to a few close friends she passed by. It all seemed so natural. It was like the old Macy was back. But of course, she wasn't. The old Macy was only there because Kurtis Zimmer was with her. The old Macy would only come back fully after she passed her fifth reaping.

Her father always puts Macy in a calm state. He and Max were the only people who could do that to her, especially when the reapings were slowly coming by.

"Are you ready, honey?" Macy's father asked her, kneeling down so he could fully see her pale face. They reached the center of the district, and Macy was just about to get in line.

"Please, stay with me," Macy whispered.

"I'm sorry, honey. I can't," her father sighed.

Slowly, the line started to get shorter and her father was starting to get worried. If he didn't get Macy to line up, she would get in trouble.

"Macy, this is your fifth reaping and you won't get reaped. You passed the last four, honey," he said quickly, hoping she would finally let him go.

Sadly, Macy stayed put, shaking her head as she refused to line up.

"Hey, get in!" a peacekeeper snapped, noticing Macy.

"It's okay, I'm trying to get her to–"

"Get in with the adults," the peacekeeper rudely said to Macy's father, grabbing Macy's arm and dragging her to the woman who pricked fingers.

That was when Macy finally knocked up some sense in her head, unfreezing and calling for her father.

"It's okay, dad!" Macy said, biting her lip to keep herself from crying. "I'm going to be okay!"

Her father, who looked beyond furious at how the peacekeeper dragged her daughter, softened. Macy watched him nod and walk around the borders towards the other adults. She didn't realize the lady sink in the needle to prick her and she hissed in pain when it so suddenly did. She was then forced into the reaping square, to the sixteen year-old section. She faced the stage, dreading what came next as the mayor of District Six walked up to the mic.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Percy Eden, 16_**

* * *

After listening to the boring old mayor and watching the video they showed every year at the reaping, District Six's escort, Trek Saynor, greeted and wished everyone good luck as he showed his pearly whites and raked his fingers through his bright orange hair. Percy has seen most of the escorts of the other Dstricts, and he could already conclude that Trek was the most liked and desired, especially by the District Six women.

Percy almost barfed up his lunch when he stepped in and most of the teenage girls were on their toes to get at least a glimpse of the ginger on stage. His skin was tan and he wore clothes with neon colors that could be seen from outer space. His sense of humor seemed to be quite a hit for the ladies as well.

"So lets with the ladies, as usual!" he said in a deep alluring voice as he sent a wink at the teenage girls.

Percy heard a few girls giggle. He growled, hoping it was possible for all of them to get picked.

"Macy Zimmer!" Trek announced, as soon as he picked out the piece of paper from the girls' glass bowl.

The entire crowd of girls didn't move for a while. Percy narrowed his eyes, trying to search for the girl who was reaped. Finally, one of the sixteen year olds pushed a terrified brunette who refused to move. The peacekeepers finally spotted her and only once they reached her, the brunette started to scream and call for someone. She turned the opposite way and pushed through the crowd. The peacekeepers were too fast. Before she could step out of the reaping square, one of the peacekeepers who chased her grabbed her arm and stuck a small metal device on her skin. She suddenly started shaking uncontrollably, and Percy realized she was being electrocuted. His bright eyes widened slightly, feeling a bit of sympathy for the girl.

The peacekeeper dragged the weakened sixteen year-old up the stage. She could hardly stand on stage, her knees wobbling and her arms hanging heavily at her sides. Her eyes stared back at everyone who just watched her little episode. Tears then started to fall and she let them, not bothering to hide her emotions. Percy was too busy studying the female tribute, how her eyes darted around the square as though she was looking for someone. He didn't even realize Trek already picked out a name from the glass bowl for boys.

"Percy Eden!"

"What?" Percy snapped, turning away from Macy Zimmer and staring wide-eyed at Trek.

Then he didn't seem so surprised. He did take a great deal of tessera, and he still had that lingering feeling of fear and dread. But he pushed those feelings aside and walked silently to the stage, masking his face from any emotion. He wouldn't do a stunt like his opponent did. He wouldn't let anyone underestimate him. He snuck a glance at the video projected on screen where he walked to the stage. He was pleased to see that he looked almost bored.

When he finally reached the stage, he faced everyone and his eyes landed on the twelve year-olds where Robin stood there, motionless and pale.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Macy Zimmer, 16_**

* * *

She did nothing in the room but sit in the corner, crying her eyes out. For a while, nobody came in to see her. She was worried her parents had given up on her and thought that since her daughter was going to die, might as well not see her anymore. Macy cried even more at the thought of her own parents not saying goodbye.

After fifteen more minutes of sobbing, the door finally opened and her disheveled mother stepped inside with skin drenched with sweat and her bright eyes unusually darkened and scared.

"I'm sorry I took so long, Macy," her mother said hurriedly, pulling Macy into a hug.

"Wh–Where have you been?" Macy sniffed.

"Your father made a scene," Emma Zimmer said quietly, her eyes widening slightly and her bottom lip quivering. "He just tried to get to you when the peacekeepers dragged you into the building. They wouldn't let him inside yet since you weren't in your room. He demanded to see you right away. I've never seen him so angry. Never in my life did I see him shout like that. He nearly attacked the peacekeepers. He's forbidden to enter the building now. I'm sorry, Macy. He can't say goodbye."

"But I want to see him," Macy mumbled looking dazed as though she didn't believe her mother when she said her father nearly attacked a bunch of peacekeepers. "Mom, I can't go without seeing him!"

Her mother didn't say anything, looking Macy in the eye as she slowly shook her head. She blinked and a small tear ran down her crinkled cheek. It was only then when it finally sunk into Macy that she really wasn't seeing her father before she left for the Capitol. She furiously shook her head and ran to the door, only to find it locked.

"_Dad_!" she screamed desperately. "_Daddy, I'm here_! _Dad_!"

She nearly fell forward when a peacekeeper opened the door.

"Stop that commotion," he snapped before turning to Emma who stood still and pale by the corner where Macy used to sit. "You must leave now."

Without thinking, Macy grabbed the peacekeepers arm tight, digging her nails in his skin.

"_Where's my dad_?" she demanded, glassy-eyed and hysterical.

"Let go of my arm now!" the peacekeeper snapped, yanking it out of her grip and pulling out a familiar metal piece that he used on her after she was reaped. Macy took a step back immediately at the sight of the metal contraption.

"_Don't you dare_!" her mother exclaimed, grabbing Macy's arm and pushing her daughter behind her.

"Time is up," the peacekeeper hissed at her. "Leave _now_ or I'll make you."

Macy watched her mother sigh in defeat and she turned to give Macy a kiss on her forehead.

"Do everything you can to win, Macy," she shakily said. "Don't let your head get to you. You're stronger than this. I know you are. Please, Macy. I love you so much, dear. I'm sure your father would say the same."

And without another word, Macy watched her mother walk out of her life. She knew she was going to die and she couldn't even see her father before the time came. She didn't cry anymore. Her mother was right. She was stronger than that. But was she really? What was she even strong at? Being daddy's girl? Loading and unloading cargo in the train station?

After a few minutes, Max came in and immediately pecked her cheek and embraced her. Macy softened at the touch of her sweet boyfriend. They stayed like that for a while. No one talked, not knowing what to say. In fact, there was nothing to say except for a long good luck and a declamation of love. That was exactly what Max did when the peacekeeper knocked on the door, reminding him he didn't have much time left to say goodbye.

"When I sat beside you years ago, I knew you were something special," he said, caressing Macy's tear-stained cheek. "I was such a different person when you were around. I'd be really quiet and I'd follow you around, trying to see who you hung out with and what hobbies you did. You could call me a stalker actually..." Max suddenly chuckled, trying to lighten the atmosphere in the room. Macy's lips slowly formed a small smile.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Well I never did before," Max answered. "Now that you're leaving, I want you to know that I have full faith in you. You can get out of that arena, Macy. Please, just remember who you are. Remember what you're fighting for. I love you, Macy. Never forget that."

After one last lingering kiss, Max finally left. Macy touched her lips that still tingled from that last kiss. _Remember what you're fighting for_, Max had said. Macy fingered the dark green pendant she wore around her neck. She had to win for her family and Max. She couldn't die and leave them all broken. That was the one thing she could never do.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Percy Eden, 16_**

* * *

Percy was sitting on the fluffy couch casually and yawned once or twice. He waited for someone to visit and for quite a while, no one came. He felt a pang of worry and hurt for a second when even his family didn't enter the room, but he pushed away this feeling and returned to his usual calm and reserved attitude.

Finally, the door opened and Robin and Eliza were pushed in by the peacekeeper who stood outside his door. He immediately frowned at how he handled his brother and sister. He opened his mouth to snap at the peacekeeper, but he caught Eliza's eye who shook her head, mouthing 'no'. When the peacekeeper finally closed the door behind him, Percy almost lost it, glaring daggers at the door.

"You shouldn't say anything to them, Percy," Eliza whispered, her flecked blue eyes darting consciously at the door where the peacekeeper probably stood nearby outside. "The girl who got reaped, her father almost tackled one of the peacekeepers. It's the reason why we took a while to get in here.

Percy huffed, losing his calm demeanor as he looked like he was about to snap someone's neck. "He thinks he's got the right to push you guys like you're his slaves?"

Then Percy softened slightly when Eliza tackled him with a hug, crying silently in his shoulder. He awkwardly rubbed her back.

"I can't believe you were reaped," Eliza said with a sniff when she let her brother go. "Dad was devastated. He couldn't come because he was getting weaker and he needed to go home. The rest took him home. Only Robin wanted to come with me."

"I wish I was reaped instead," Robin mumbled, angrily staring at the ground.

Sighing, Percy walked to him and knelt down so he was in level with Robin's face.

"No way would I ever let you go in that arena," Percy said. "If you were reaped, I would have volunteered myself. Either way, I'd still go in that arena."

"But Percy," Robin sniffed, his eyes starting to water. "I don't want you to go."

"Eliza's going to take care of you while I'm gone," Percy assured him, the feeling of sadness and grief slowly taking over him although he refused it to. He tried to keep his cool and be strong.

"I didn't mean it... When I said you were boring to be with..." Robin said, looking him straight in the eye. "You're really fun. You're even better than Jake and Jack. You're the only one who's ever been there for me in the family."

For a while, no one spoke and it was complete silence until the peacekeeper outside knocked on the door making everyone in the room jump in surprise. It signaled the fact that Eliza and Robin had to leave soon and even if Percy didn't show it outside, deep inside he didn't want to let them both go. He pulled Robin into a hug one last time which was odd since Percy wasn't a man of hugs.

"I know you don't like talking about mom," Eliza started hesitantly. "but I'm sure she's wishing you all the luck she can give wherever she is. She's with you at all times, Percy. She never left."

"I'll see you soon, Eliza," Percy muttered, desperately wanting to change the subject.

Despite Percy's attempts on changing the direction of their conversation, Eliza continued to speak.

"She'd also tell you to show how you really feel once in a while. It's not right to bottle your feelings up inside you. You can always open up to us, even to her! She'll be listening, I'm sure."

Percy closed his eyes tight, trying not to let the memories flood his head once more. He suddenly visualized the gathered crowd, the angry peacekeepers and his mother falling lifeless to the ground with a bullet straight to her head. For a while, Percy was stuck in his own world of pain and misery at the remembrance of his mother's death.

When he finally returned to his senses and opened his eyes, Eliza and Robin were already gone.

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry if I took longer than expected. Haven't had much motivation but thank you to those who did review the last chapter! Appreciate it. :) hope you guys like this one! Reviews are appreciated and they make me update faster. :-)**

**~jess**


	7. District Ten: Broken Families

**_Colleen Reyna, District 10 Girl_**

**_Rowen Ky Ember, District 10 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Colleen Reyna, 16_**

* * *

It was a big day in the house. The Reynas were quite busy trying to get their place look as presentable as possible. It was because the mother of the house was expecting a visitor from her boss in work. The children were positive that their mother was getting the pay raise they were all expecting. Their mother was one of the hardest workers in the farm she worked in and rumors spread that someone was getting a pay raise and someone was getting fired. It was quite obvious in the eyes of the children that their mother was getting that pay raise, especially since it was announced that the boss was arriving this Saturday to give her some news.

The youngest Reyna daughter, Colleen, stood in front of a tall cracked mirror that could hardly reflect the whole of her body. It was dusty and blurry but Colleen could live with it. She tried to look as presentable as possible for the boss of her mother to give a good impression. She wore a pale blue dress that hardly covered her legs as it was already too short and small for her age to wear. It was one of her two dresses and wearing the other would restrict her from breathing already.

Colleen raked her bright, sun-kissed blonde hair with her stubby fingers. Her blue eyes reflected back at her, so pale and depressed. She found that numerous scars could clearly be seen on her legs and arms. Hopefully her mother's boss wouldn't be too bothered by them. Figuring she couldn't do anything else to better her appearance, she left her room and made her way to the dining table.

She was at awe at how clean the house had looked. Their windows lacked their usual cobwebs, the floor was excellently mopped and the dining table lay organized with food and plates. Colleen almost gasped at the sight of seeing cooked beef on the table. Although it was only a small portion, Colleen couldn't believe that it was actually present in her house at that moment.

"I was surprised too."

Colleen jumped in surprise, turning to see her brother Austin looking as handsome as always in a simple button down shirt and worn out slacks. His blonde hair was slightly disheveled and he's got a bit of a scruff but he looked much more presentable than Colleen would ever be as she barely even fit in her clothes.

"Where do you think mom got it?" Colleen asked, staring hungrily at the delicious cooked beef on the table.

"Definitely not the district market," Austin muttered. "Prices there are skyrocketing."

"Someone must have sold it to her for a different price, or maybe it was a donation from her boss."

Austin snorted. "Doubt it. Her boss is a menace. I've seen the way he treats her in the farm while she milks the cow. I know you all see him coming here as a big deal but I don't have a good feeling about this."

"Austin, she's getting a raise," Colleen rolled her eyes. "Why do you think we all celebrated with putting fewer ballots in the reaping bowl?"

"I still think that's ridiculous. How are we to survive the year without the tessera we need?"

"We'll have enough money to buy decent food when mom gets this raise, Austin. Besides, do you really want a bigger chance on getting reaped?"

Austin stayed silent and eventually left the room, entering his own. Colleen sighed and sat on one of the wooden chairs. She was indeed less nervous for this year's reapings because of the fact that she only put ten slips of paper into the reaping bowl for girls. Ever since she were twelve, she put in tons of slips for tessera for her whole family. With this promotion, she may not even have to add in for tessera in the future. Her whole family was excited, except perhaps Austin.

"Sit up straight, Lena," Colleen's sister, Emmy, stepped out of their shared room in a similar dress, her blonde hair neatly tied up and her icy eyes narrowing at her sixteen year-old sister.

Colleen wanted to snap back but she decided against it and straightened her back so Emmy wouldn't have anything else to say to her. Though it did not matter how straight her back was since Emmy continued to nag.

"Tie your hair, Lena. It's unattractive how messy it looks right now."

Again, Colleen followed her sister's orders and bit her tongue to keep herself from cursing at Emmy. Her seventeen year-old sister continued to nag her about her appearance and Colleen finally opened her mouth, about to tell her to shut up but four year-old Dusty came out of his mother's room looking confused on how to tie his stained shoe laces. Irritated, Emmy pushed him back into the room as she scolded him for forgetting how after she taught him the third time. Colleen felt sorry for her little brother as he hated being scolded, but she couldn't shake off the great feeling of having Emmy out of her sight.

At that moment, a middle-aged woman barged in the small house, crying heavily and the proper clothes she wore were disheveled and dirty.

"_Mom_?" Colleen gasped, running to her mother.

"I've been so _foolish_," Colleen's mother sobbed, pushing her daughter away and headed to her bedroom.

"_Wait, mom_!" Colleen desperately called. "Mom, _what happened_?"

But her mother slammed her door shut with a loud bang echoing in the house.

* * *

**Life Before the Reaping**

**_Rowen Ky Ember, 18_**

* * *

Rumors in District Ten spread pretty fast. Even the slums of the district had their very own set of rumors. Rowen Ember didn't like to waste his time with these rumors, but there was one which caught his ear. Something that slowly made the color in his face drain and his forest green eyes dilate in horror.

Rowen was on his way to the farm he worked in. It was owned by a rich aristocrat who treated his workers with kindness and respect. The aristocrat was bombarded with aspiring workers almost everyday, but his farm was big enough for only a few hired men and women. Rowen was lucky enough to grab a spot in that tiny opportunity. Unfortunately, many of the citizens of District Ten who lived in the slums were forced to work with his unpleasant father who owned a large farm and hired tons of workers for it.

Rumor was, his father was about fire one worker and raise the pay of another. One thing Rowen knew about his father was that he did not simply go to one of his worker's houses to tell them of a pay raise. He only made an effort to visit someone's home when he liked to see the look in their faces when he tells them the horrible fate of the worker.

As Rowen walked through the slums in his work clothes, he spotted his father briskly walking in the opposite direction. He stopped walking for a moment, trying to figure out where exactly his father was going. His father's cold eyes were fixated on a small, dirty house at the end of the road and Rowen realized who exactly he was going to fire. Rowen didn't realize what he was doing and where he was running to until he roughly pushed his father to an alleyway.

"_You are a monster_!" Rowen hissed.

"Don't talk to me, you idiotic child," his father snapped, straightening the clothes Rowen had gripped to push him.

"You're firing one of the _Reynas_?" Rowen said, demanding for an answer. "How _dare_ you even go that low? Firing one of members of one of the poorest families in the District! You're a heartless, goddamn jerk!"

"You're lucky you and your wife don't work for me, Rowen," his father said, deadly calm.

"I would _never_ work for you."

"Keep in mind that you can't just push people of my social class into a disgusting alleyway where you people of the slums call your home," his father continued, glaring furiously at the eighteen year-old blonde he used to call his son. "You _are not_ my son anymore so I have no reason to listen to what you have to say. See where you are now, Rowen? You live in the poorest side of the District because of an accident you made three years ago. Now you're defending a poor family with death as its future when I finally fire that idiotic single mother. You're despicable. I can't believe you were ever my son."

"It may have been an accident, but I don't regret anything," Rowen said in a low menacing tone. "I have a loving family and as long as they're with me, I don't mind living here. This is home. My family has offered me more than anything you did. And the Reynas? They don't deserve anything as cruel as what you're about to do. Have a heart for once! _Don't do it_."

Mr. Ember suddenly smirked, looking over Rowen's shoulder. Rowen swiftly turned to see Mrs. Reyna receiving a small bottle of fresh milk from a kind woman at the other end of the street.

"_Watch me_," Rowen's father whispered cruelly into his disowned son's ear.

Before Rowen could say anything else, his father briskly walked past him and strode across the street. Rowen watched how Mrs. Reyna reacted at the sight of his father. He never saw someone smile so big here in the slums as almost everyone had a cold, depressed look to them. Mrs. Reyna held a basket filled with fruits with some holes and black spots, but fruits nonetheless. She wore a neat dress with slippers but it was like she made an effort to actually look presentable for something.

Then it hit Rowen; the reaction of seeing his father, the presentable look and the gathering for good foods. She heard the rumors as well, and she assumed she was getting the pay raise since her boss scheduled a visit to her house. It broke Rowen's heart to see the smile drop from her face as quickly as it came. All the color drained from her face and she was a ghostly shade of white. Her hand weakened and the basket fell and the fruits scattered around her feet.

Rowen's father had already gone, but Mrs. Reyna stood motionless on her ground. The only sign of movement on her body was a lone teardrop, running down her sunken, pale cheek.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Colleen Reyna, 16_**

* * *

When Colleen stepped out of her house, her boyfriend of almost a year, Jesse, was already waiting outside with his dark hair neatly combed and his clothes not too crinkled. Jesse lived in a house nearby, but he didn't live a life as hard as the Reynas. Colleen hugged him shortly before swiftly walking away to the reaping. Jesse had to jog to catch up to her.

"Anything wrong?" Jesse asked curiously and concerned.

"Some people are just too cruel to live a life in this world," Colleen said quietly, quickening her pace.

"I heard about your mother, Lena," Jesse said slowly taking her hand in his and successfully slowing her down. "Please, just talk to me."

"What is there to talk about?" she said, her voice cracking as she started to cry. "Mom's got another job but it's pay is lower than her last. Emmy and Austin are working and they're not even off reaping age! Then there's Dusty who doesn't even study yet and it's all just so hard because we barely got any tessera! And then there's the reapings where anyone of us can get picked!"

Jesse pulled her into his arms, shushing her sobs. "You're just under a lot of stress and pressure, Lena. Just calm down. Everything's going to be fine. Like you said, you haven't gotten much tessera so your chances will be going much lower for this year's games."

It took a while for Colleen to finally stop crying. Her eyes were still quite red but the blue was slowly starting to come back. When she was finally calm, the couple made their way to the district park where the reaping was usually held. They lined up, holding hands and Jesse eyed Colleen, worried she would break down from the stress she was in once again. Thankfully, Colleen managed to hold it in past the pricking of their fingers. They were forced to part, Jesse joining the sixteen year-old boys and Colleen joining the girls.

Colleen stood still and quiet, trying to separate herself from the reality of the reapings. She looked so distant and she was motionless. Her ears could barely hear the mayor's speech and the video they showed every year for the reapings. Colleen's blue eyes merely watched the escort, Tala Kaine, greet everyone but all she got as a reply was silence. She pursed her bright green lips and flipped her multicolored hair over her shoulder, her big yellow-green eyes looking disappointed at the lack of energy in District Ten.

Tala moved over to the big bowl of slips for girls. Colleen drew in a sharp breath when she took a slip of paper at the top of the pile. Tala's heels clicked and clanked as she walked back to the mic. Her high accented voice echoed in the district park as she read out the name.

"Colleen Reyna!"

She could hardly breathe. Her whole body had forgotten what movement was and how it felt like. She did not do anything but think. She thought about how it was so impossible for her to get picked at the only year she put in ten slips of paper in that bowl. She thought how cruel it was for them to take her to a game of death and leave her starving family behind. She thought how the next few days would be her last and she would spend it with an annoying Capitol woman and her district partner.

Finally, her knees gave in and tears spilled from her eyes, dripping noiselessly on the soil and grass. She felt herself being carried into someone's arms but she couldn't see past her tears that blurred her eyes from the reality of being picked as District Ten's tribute for the Hunger Games.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Rowen Ky Ember, 18_**

* * *

When the boy, who Rowen recognized as Jesse from the slums, carried her up so effortlessly, Rowen had never felt so bad for a reaped tribute in his district in his entire eighteen years of existence. She stood before the crowd, crying silently and her whole body shaking. This was not fair. The whole thing wasn't fair and Rowen wanted to do something about it.

The worst part was, he heard the girl's name and she was Reyna. The family of Reynas didn't deserve all the horrible things they had experienced just for the past few days. Now, Mrs. Reynas daughter was picked and she could do nothing about it. Rowen knew she lost her husband years ago, now she lost her job and she was just about to lose a daughter,

Rowen wanted her to win, but she needed to face twenty-three tributes to come out alive.

The eighteen year-old was so preoccupied in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Tala Kaine walk over to the bowl of slips for boys. Only when she finally walked back to the mic with a slip of paper and cleared her throat into it did Rowen return his attention to the reaping.

"Rowen Ky Ember!"

His eyes widened and his heart beat faster against his chest. All worries for Colleen Reyna vanished and his own family flooded his head. One thing he was definitely sure of was that he needed to win. He _had_ to win. He needed to return to his family. He couldn't leave them and not come back. He had twins, both three years old. He couldn't let them grow up without a father. He would never let them happen.

With all the courage he had left, Rowen walked silently up the stage, his face pale and shocked as he stood before his district. His eyes skimmed through the crowd and they finally laid on a beautiful brunette who openly let her tears fall. She looked so devastated and heartbroken. It was like she already lost hope in her own husband.

But Rowen was determined. He had a reason to win and he would do whatever he could to return home to his family. As he shook hands with Colleen, he didn't dare look into her eyes. He didn't dare look into the eyes of the woman he would be forced to see dead in the arena. He just hoped he wouldn't be the one to kill her.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Colleen Reyna, 16_**

* * *

Colleen was shaking uncontrollably as she hugged each of her family members. Her mother was crying as much as she was. Even Emmy shed a tear or two. Colleen saw how she bit her lip to keep herself from crying more. Austin did not cry, but he hugged Colleen the longest.

"Focus on survival and one weapon you can work with," Austin said shakily, still holding on to her. "A knife would be good because it's everywhere in that arena and most backpacks have one in them. You're are a survivor, Lena. You know what it feels like to be isolated in cold and starving for days. You should find water too and use a spot up in a tree to keep yourself hidden _at all times. _Do you u–understand, Lena?"

If it was even possible, Austin hugged her tighter as Colleen nodded her head. When Austin finally let her go, Colleen knelt down to speak to four year-old Dusty who held his dirty, messily stitched teddy bear. He had a confused look in his bright eyes and he scratched his blonde head.

"Lena, are you leaving forever?" Dusty asked, a frown forming on his face.

Colleen shook her head, biting her lip as she refused to cry. "I'll come back for you, Dusty."

Her family was eventually dragged out of the room. Colleen didn't have to wait too long since Jesse barged in about a minute later and bombarded her with advice on survival and weaponry. Colleen couldn't do anything but nod. Jesse looked so frightened and almost insane. Colleen hugged him tight in the middle of his sentence and he hugged her back, finally shutting up.

"You're going to do great," Jesse said, letting a tear fall from his right eye.

He was then dragged back outside by a peacekeeper and Colleen was alone once again, just like how she was going to be for the last days of her life.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Rowen Ky Ember, 18_**

* * *

It broke Rowen's heart to see his children and his wife. His children, barely three years-old, were already walking, although they didn't understand the concept of the Hunger Games. His wife though, was openly crying and her eyes were so dark and terrified. The twins immediately cheered at the sight of their father and gave him a hug.

"I'm going to miss you so so much, Rowen," Ciana Ember sniffed softly, cupping her husband's cheek with her hand.

"When I'm gone, I know my father will try getting to you whenever he gets the chance," Rowen told her. "Whatever he says, _don't believe a word of it. _I love you, Ciana. What happened three years ago, whether it was an accident or not, I never regretted it and we were given two wonderful children. You have to know that."

"I don't think I can watch you–"

"I'm not going to die," Rowen said in a strong, determined tone although it shook a bit. "I'm going to come back."

"If you come back, Colleen has to die," Ciana said sadly.

Rowen sighed, moving his gaze to the floor. "I'm just hoping I won't be the one to kill her."

Ciana shook her head and threw her arms around his neck once again, sobbing into his shoulder. The peacekeeper entered and had to pull Ciana away from Rowen. Ciana struggled and screamed, trying to shake the grip off her. Rowen managed to give her one last kiss on her thin, chapped lips before the peacekeepers finally pulled her and the children out of the room and away from Rowen.

* * *

**Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. Hope you like this chapter! I appreciate all reviews from everyone! I've been so busy that I haven't been replying to reviews, but I'm going to start doing that again. :)**

**About the blog for the profiles of each tribute, I'll be posting it soon. The next chapter would bear the link. :)**

**Let me know what you think through a review! All reviews are appreciated and I will start replying to each again. :) xx**

**~jess**


	8. District Four: Salty Air

**_Terra Johansenn, District 4 Girl_**

**_Reif Larken, District 4 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Reif Larken, 18_**

* * *

It was sunny day in District Four. It was humid and like everyday, the salty smell of the ocean spread with the air. A messy-haired boy sat on the porch of his house on this fine day. He watched the waves crash down on the sand and slowly flow back into the water. He thought about how lucky he was to be living in a house that faced the vast ocean and settled on pure white sand. He also thought how unlucky he was because on this beach side, a couple of other houses were built nearby and he wasn't particularly fond of the people who lived in there.

"Reif, come and help me with this," the boy's father called from the west beach that wasn't too far away from Reif's house. He was dragging a heavy net filled with cold, lifeless fishes.

Reif could see his father panting heavily and sweating profusely. He stood up from the porch but instead of walking towards his father who was in need of help, he silently walked back inside the house.

He met his mother on his way to the staircase but as usual, she did not even spare him a glance as she chopped the vegetables on the kitchen counter. Unfortunately before Reif could finally run up the stairs, his father walked in the house and immediately called for him. Reif slowly turned around to see his father looking hurt and disappointed.

"I needed help back there," his father said with a pant.

"You could handle it yourself," Reif said through gritted teeth.

His father didn't say anything except stare into Reif's dark menacing eyes. Reif caught his father's hands twitching and saw the blood dripping from his newly formed wounds, possibly from the heavy net he was bringing. But Reif barely even cared. If he didn't want to help his father, he wouldn't. It's as simple as that. His father couldn't tell him what to do.

"Maybe if you had any friends from work to help you, they would. But you have no friends, dad. Stop acting like I'm one just because I'm your son. We are nothing alike and we are no where near being friends," Reif snapped.

His father frowned at the mention of his social status in the district. It was true though. Reif knew his father was outcasted by the citizens of Four. Actually, his whole family were outcasts. They were just too quiet, too controlling with unlikable personalities. At times, Reif would be a bit bitter about the whole thing, but he expressed his anger through fighting and it slowly took over his life. Day and night, he was in the training center of his district. He practiced with spears and tridents and barely anyone even noticed him while he trained.

Something about the Hunger Games triggered something inside him. It was like he needed to get in that arena. He felt the need to show everyone in his district that it was wrong for them to cast him out. In Reif's head, his fellow citizens were fools. They turned the greatest fighter in the district into a nobody and he, out of all the people, deserved to be known.

Wanting to be away from his family as much as possible, Reif ran out of the house and decided to take a nice stroll by the beach. Listening to the waves was something that calmed him greatly. His temper got to him and when it did, it was like he had his own waves in him, violently crashing to shore and hurriedly flowing back into the ocean. Listening to a calming sea always slowed his heart rate and eventually, calming him mentally and physically.

As he walked, he passed by a group of boys who sat in a circle, laughing at something one of them had said. Reif then started to walk slower, curious to what exactly made the group of boys laugh so much. He spared a glance at the group and saw who was talking. The tall blonde was called Glaive and Reif loathed his whole being.

"How long are going to put up with this chick, Glaive?" one of Glaive's peers asked, laughing in between his words.

"Maybe a few weeks. She's got a nice chest," Glaive said with a wink.

"Isn't she like crazy or something?" another asked, drinking from a bottle of alcohol.

"She got some tattoos last week that look _completely_ ridiculous on her," Glaive answered with his face scrunched up in disgust. "And she's got these piercings all over her goddamn body! Who even does that?"

"So you never actually liked her?" the same boy said with a chuckle.

Glaive laughed. "Who would? Her attitude is shit. Although, her body couldn't have been more perfect for me."

Reif didn't realize he had stopped completely, so into eavesdropping in the conversation. Unfortunately, Glaive noticed him, and with a sneer, he pushed himself up from the sand he was sitting.

"What do you think you're doing here, Larken?" he spat. "Eavesdropping on our conversation, eh? You wanna know what I do to people who try to put themselves into what they're not supposed to be part of?"

With a loud battle cry, Glaive charged and clumsily threw a punch at Reif. Reif was quicker. He knew what was coming and was ready. He casually jerked his head to the left to dodge the punch, grabbed Glaive's arm with his right hand and twisted it hard, making Glaive howl in pain. Reif punched him with his left hand right in his stomach and Glaive fell to the ground, clutching it in pain.

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Terra Johansenn, 15_**

* * *

"Aquos, go away."

"I'm not leaving this doorstep until you come out, Terra!"

Terra Johansenn groaned. She was currently inside her boyfriend's house by the beach. Her feet were up on his sleek mahogany dining table with her hands behind her head as she leaned back on the chair. She would often start to play with her dark chocolate brown hair that so matched her skin tone. Her nails were long and painted black. She wore a dark leather jacket with its sleeves torn off to proudly show off her tattoos on her biceps. On the right, it said 'BIG' and on the left, 'BOOM'. It irritated her family greatly to see all the tattoos and piercings around her body. Seeing their reactions always put a nasty smile on Terra's face.

"Terra, _come out_!" Aquos' voice echoed inside the house.

"Um, I think... No, still not going not," Terra replied.

She was alone in the house, even if it wasn't even hers. She avoided her own house as much as possible. She'd take being alone inside Glaive's house over staying in a house with a man who beat her. Of course, Glaive did that at times, but not as much as her father did.

"Come out, or I'll tell dad to come here himself!"

That's when Terra finally snapped.

"Ugh, _fine_!" she screeched, letting her feet drop on the floor with two loud thuds. She stomped her way to the front door and wrenched it open, an expression of anger all over her face.

"Aquos, you are _so_ annoying," Terra hissed, resisting the urge to punch his blonde head.

"Please come home," Aquos begged. "None of this is working for you! You're just hurting yourself, Terra."

"The only one hurting _me_ is dad."

Before Aquos could say anything, Terra looked past his shoulder and saw Glaive by the shore with a tall dark-haired boy. Her eyes widened when the boy sunk his fist into her boyfriend's stomach. Pushing Aquos aside, Terra stepped off the front porch and walked as as fast as she could through the sand with her heels.

Loudly cursing, she finally took the heels off as they sunk into the sand whenever she took a step, making her nearly trip. She ran barefoot to her boyfriend who was on the ground, clutching his stomach in pain. The tall boy who punched him was still there, staring down at Glaive with a slightly angry but calm expression.

"Who the _hell_ do you think you are?" Terra snapped, positioning her feet into a fighting stance and raising her fists, ready to strike.

"Oh, are _you_ the crazy girl with the ridiculous tattoos and shitty attitude?" the boy said in a low menacing tone, shooting a glance at Aquos.

"_What did you just call me_?" Terra screamed, lunging herself at him with a raised fist. Before she could punch the douche, Aquos came out of nowhere and pulled Tera back by her shoulders. Terra struggled against her older brother's grip but it was too tight and soon, she stopped struggling, breathing heavily as she glared daggers at the unknown boy.

"I didn't call you anything," the boy snarled. "Why don't you ask your boyfriend?"

Terra immediately frowned and directed her attention to Glaive who was still seated on the wet sand, watching the whole exchange.

"That's right," the boy continued. "Glaive was talking about you behind your back. He called you a crazy with stupid tattoos and piercings, and he told his friends he was only with you because you have a nice body. He tried punching me when he saw I was listening in their conversation." Then he looked down at Glaive. "Have fun trying to explain _that_, jackass." He aimed a kick at his ribs and started to briskly walk away, leaving Glaive on the sand moaning in pain.

Terra watched him leave until he was too far for her eyes to see. She turned back to Glaive, shaking Aquos's hands off her which had gone slack after the tall boy's accusation on Glaive.

"Was that all true?" Terra whispered dangerously, her dark eyes wide and filled with hate. She was absolutely furious. It wasn't like her to believe what a total stranger had said about her boyfriend but the way he said it all, no one could be that good of a liar. The hate on his face was evident as he said. He must have done it to take a shot on ruining Glaive's life.

"No, babe, I swear–"

"_Liar_!" Terra hissed, swiftly turning to one of his friends.

She pulled out a dagger which she stole from the training center and conveniently kept in the inside pocket of her leather jacket at all times. She gripped the shirt of Glaive's friend and positioned her dagger by his throat.

"_Is it true_?" Terra said in a deadly low tone.

Shaking with fear, Glaive's friend slowly nodded.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Reif Larken, 18_**

* * *

Today was his day. His heart rate was fast, but not out of fear. It was more of excitement. His whole life, he has trained. All those years of practically living inside the training center of Four lead up to the moment he steps up and volunteers to become a tribute and soon, a victor. Unlike Districts One and Two, Four wasn't very strict with volunteers from the training center. If you wanted to volunteer, go ahead and volunteer. It was as simple as that. There was still usually someone volunteering every year though, because there's always someone out there who wants the glory, the fame and everything else that comes with being a victor.

As Reif walked to the cliff side where the reapings were held every year, he thought of how many boys were actually willing to volunteer this year. He just hoped Glaive Sullivan wouldn't beat him to it. Glaive was weak. Reif also hoped he was miserable. After telling Terra Johansenn what Glaive actually thought about her, Terra got into a fit of rage. Glaive wasn't spared from her angry punches and kicks. Reif almost smiled at the thought of Glaive getting beaten up by a girl.

Though Reif thought nothing of Terra, just as little as Glaive did. He simply used her to humiliate the jerk. It was quite entertaining.

Reif stood at the back of the whole pack of eighteen year-olds. He had no friends and people would just scoot away from him if he got near so he didn't see the point of trying to get in the crowd. When finally all introductions were done, Konnel Freidun lazily walked over to the reaping bowl for girls in his baggy pearl white pants and his huge button down shirt that could pass as a dress. He plunged his hand into the bowl and pulled out a lone piece of paper. Once he returned to the mic, he cleared his throat and read the name aloud.

"Khana Holls!"

Reif waited for the volunteer for the girls this year. There was usually someone volunteering and it was rare to see someone actually get reaped and go into the game representing District Four. And indeed, someone did volunteer. When the girl stepped up in a revealing tube top, a ripped leather jacket and a short denim skirt that barely covered her legs, Reif's confidence faltered a bit because in order to win, he needed to beat Terra Johansenn.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Terra Johansenn, 15_**

* * *

"I volunteer!" Terra said proudly, walking as briskly as she could to the stage in the goddamned heels she was wearing.

She faced the District with a broad smile and twinkling eyes. She shot a mean look to Glaive who stared at her from the seventeen year-old section, not knowing how to react. If he was actually hurt and worried, Terra had done what she wanted to do. When she wins the games, she'll have all the money she can have and Glaive would be bowing down to her.

"What's your name?" Konnel asked in an uninterested tone, his eyes looking heavy and sleepy.

"I'm Terra Johansenn," she said into the mic, looking into everyone's eyes who started back at her.

"Lets give a round of applause to Terra then, yippee, wahoo, yay, whatever..." Konnel droned with a yawn at the end of the sentence. He then proceeded to pick a slip from the reaping bowl for boys.

Konnel barely even said the name into the mic and he hadn't asked for volunteers yet but someone already stepped forward. Terra's eyes widened a bit and her grin faltered. The boy who stepped forward was the boy from the other night by the beach. She recognized his dark messy hair and cold piercing stare. For a strange reason, Terra felt her anger boiling up again inside her. The boy reminded her of what Glaive had said about her and she didn't like it.

The grin on her face was complely gone now and it was replaced by an angry, irritated scowl. From the corner of her eye, she saw the screen that showcased her expression but she hardly even cared. Her beady eyes followed the boy as he calmly walked up stage. He glanced at her and even scrunched up his eyebrows a bit. He narrowed his eyes even but quickly looked away and uttered his name into the microphone.

"Reif Larken," he said.

Finally, Terra knew his name. She knew the name of the boy she was going to kill in the arena. Of course, they were to be allies first, but Terra hardly saw anything in him to trust. She would be watching him closely during the games.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

_**Reif Larken, 18**_

* * *

Reif didn't expect anyone to visit. His whole family was distant and they barely even talked. Reif had to say he was definitely surprised when the door opened and someone stepped inside to see him. It was his little sister, her dark hair similar to Reif's except it flowed down her back in elegant waves. She sat on the other end of the couch Reif was sitting on.

They were both silent. Reif didn't actually expect Nadia to speak. She was like that. They both were. She only spoke when it was needed. Barely anyone has ever heard her voice clearly. Reif was actually the only one. He was quite similar to her. He didn't normally speak up, but he definitely spoke more than Nadia.

The whole time, the siblings just sat there. Reif was on one end, and Nadia was on the other. Not even eye contact was exchanged. When the peacekeeper outside knocked on the door, it meant Nadia only had a few seconds left for goodbyes. Surprisingly after the knock, Nadia lifted her head up and met Reif's eyes with her own. Reif watched her lift her arm up and pat his shoulder.

"Good luck," she said, her voice hoarse and unused.

After that, she stood and left the room. Reif had no idea what that was about, but he was somewhat glad his sister came to say that. She _was_ his sister after all.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Terra Johansenn, 15_**

* * *

The only two people who came in the room to say goodbye were Aquos and Pyra. Pyra was Terra's nineteen year-old sister and was the only girl she actually got along with. Pyra usually gave her the understanding vibe and she barely criticized her actions, unlike the rest of her family. Terra actually only wanted Pyra to visit. She didn't want to see more of Aquos since he practically followed her out of the house everyday, making sure she didn't do anything stupid.

"_You told Pyra you were volunteering and not me_?" Aquos snapped. "What the hell, Terra?"

"You're starting to sound like dad, Aquos," Pyra shot back. "Let Terra do what she wants."

"Pyra, this is the Hunger Games were talking about!"

"What, you think I can't win?" Terra said, her anger building up again as she stood from her chair.

"_Shut up, you two_!" Pyra shouted sternly. "Aquos and I came here to say goodbye, not argue."

Sighing heavily, Terra sat back down and crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows at her brother and sister.

"I'd rather be anywhere but back home right now," Terra muttered. "Yes, that includes the Hunger Games arena. I'd rather be hurting others than me getting hurt."

"If you weren't so..." Aquos gestured to her whole being. "then you wouldn't get hurt at all!"

"Aquos, _get out_!" Pyra hissed. "You're just causing trouble."

Aquos sighed, his face dropping. "Fine, but just so you know, I love you, Terra. You're my little sister and I'm just worried. I–I know you can win this."

Without another word, he left. Terra actually softened at his words, but she didn't let it show. Pyra then proceeded to give her some tips, but Terra barely listened, her head too into the future and how she was going deal with the arena, the tributes and everything else. When it was time for Pyra to go, she told Terra she believed in her and that she could bring home that crown. Then Terra was alone once again with only her future well-being to think about.

* * *

**Hello! Updated fast because of the brilliant reviews I got from you guys! Thank you so so much! Keep reviewing to get fast updates like this. :) Hope you like District Four! :)**

**By the way, I just finished with the blog! It's called ourlastdays52. wordpress. com (remove spaces please) Tell me which tributes stand out and catch your eye through a review! I'd love to know what you think of the profiles. :) Thanks again!**

**~jess**


	9. District Twelve: Illegal Doing

_**Rose Adams, District 12 Girl**_

**_Zach Quince, District 12 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Rose Adams, 14_**

_A year before being reaped; 13 year-old Rose_

* * *

The day was calm and quiet. The only sound heard was the chirping of the birds in the nearby forest. Rose Adams sat in a small meadow behind all the suffering the seam held. This was her place of peace. Rarely anyone else visited this place since it was so near the forest of District Twelve. Everyone feared the forest, but many saw it as a land of freedom. Rose was one of them. She was always fascinated by the forest. The trees were so tall and close together that you can so easily conceal yourself with them. Animals roamed, seeing the forest as their home.

Rose was sitting silently by a large oak tree, her blonde hair blown slightly by the cool wind of her district. She came here to think most of the time. Most times, she'd think of how to feed herself and her family. They were slowly falling apart, she knew. Her and Stella would barely eat a piece of meat everyday. Her parents who were barely even home didn't make much money in the mines where they worked. Rose's absentminded stare turned into a glare, her eyes filled with so much hate for everything.

She hated how she barely had anything to eat and her family didn't have much time for her. She hated how the Capitol could do so much to her and the whole of them didn't even know who she was. She hated how the stupid forest could hold so much life and freedom and she couldn't even take one step into it. The only person who lifted her out of her angry and depressed state was the handsome Zach Quince who she had fallen head over heels for.

He must have been the only person Rose had actually cared for and loved. She only had a few interactions with him. The latest one had been a month ago when she was late for class and even tripped as she ran. He was passing by and helped her up as he was also late for class. They walked to class together and he even noticed how skinny she was. With his kind heart, he offered her a small box of blueberries he had stolen from a merchant just the day before. No one has ever shown such kindness to her.

Rose was lost in her thoughts that she nearly didn't notice a couple of bushes shuffling a few feet from where she sat. Alarmed and terrified, Rose stood up and ran to another set of bushes where she hid to see what it was. Or rather, _who_ it was.

A tall dark-haired man appeared from the bushes, silently cursing them for scratching him. His eyes were bright and silver like the moon. He didn't look too old, probably middle-aged. He wore an old set of clothes that Rose recognized as clothes people from the seam usually wore. No wonder he looked slightly familiar to Rose. The man lived in the seam, just like her. Rose would see him carrying a rabbit or a squirrel once or twice though Rose never figured out where he got it.

The man approached the forest and he bent down, slipping through a space between the wires that separated the forest from the district. Rose expected the man to get electrocuted, but he simply stood up once again and he jogged into the forest. Wide-eyed and definitely surprised, Rose followed him in, following his actions on slipping through the large gap between the two wires. She had always thought they were fueled by electricity to keep people from going in. Apparently not.

Rose had to run to keep up with the man. She was very quiet and conscious of her surroundings. It was the first time she was in the forest and it felt great. The smell of the trees and the sound of rustling leaves were so pleasant to her and it felt like she was in paradise. Suddenly, the man stopped and Rose had to hide in another set of bushes to keep herself from being seen. The man reached for something behind a tree trunk and he pulled out a sheath of arrows and a bow.

Rose gasped at the sight of the illegal weapon and unfortunately, the man heard it. His head snapped to where she hid.

"Who's there?" he called out, his voice low and demanding.

Rose didn't dare speak up. She crawled her way out of the bushes and stood up to stick her back up against a tree, still hidden from the man. She peeked and saw the man approaching the bushes she was just hiding in a few seconds ago. She sighed in relief when he shook his head, probably thinking it was just his imagination.

The rest of the day, Rose simply watched the man. He killed a few rabbits and gathered some wild berries by the bushes. She could remember which ones he would throw away, and which he would take home. The ones he didn't take home were probably poisonous. For the next few days, he returned and Rose was there as well. She simply watched him use his bow and arrow which fascinated Rose so much.

On another day, Rose stepped inside the forest and hid behind her usual tree, waiting for the man to come. Unfortunately, no man came. After waiting so long, Rose stepped out of her hiding spot and walked over to the tree where the man hid his bow. She felt relieved when she saw that it was still hidden there. Her hand twitched to take it, but she knew it was wrong. An idea suddenly hit her. If she used it, all she had to do was give it back and the man wouldn't even notice it was ever gone if she put it back in time.

Shaking slightly, she reached for the bow and the sheath of arrows. Imitating the man, she placed her sheath at her back and setting her stance. She felt a bit unbalanced, but she was positive this was how the man stood with the bow and arrow. She reached for one of her arrows and loaded her bow, just like the man had done. After a week of simply watching him, Rose already knew how to do it. She slowly drew the string, but she accidentally let the arrow fall out of the bow and down to the ground. Cursing silently, she picked it up.

_So much for a first try_, she thought bitterly.

It took a while for her to finally draw the string back with the arrow in place; probably after ten or more tries. Rose wasn't the most patient person either. She had a scowl on her face when she finally did it right. Getting excited, she immediately let the arrow fly but it didn't go very far. It fell a few feet from where she stood, and it wasn't even strong enough to sink in the ground. Instead, it simply lay there as though it had been dropped by someone.

An angry groan escaped her lips and she kept shooting, getting angrier and angrier when it kept falling. She was so irritated already that she drew the string so fast, she thought it was going to snap and she took aim at a tree bark nearby. She let go and it zipped through the air until it sunk in the trunk and this time, it had stayed instead of falling back on the ground. A smile then started to grow on her face and her eyes twinkled as she stared happily at the bow she held.

This might just be her ticket to survival.

* * *

**Life Before the Reaping**

**_Zach Quince, 14_**

_Present day; a week before the reaping_

* * *

The merchants were leaving once again, and this was a chance for Zach that he could never resist. The Yellers were a rich couple who bore no children. They were constantly leaving to visit their other house which was situated near the Victor's Village. The thought of them leaving their house without anyone to guard it made Zach grin with happiness.

After thirty minutes and the Yellers did not return, Zach started his plan. He jumped over the fence effortlessly and snuck to the back of the house by their backyard. He picked the lock of the door which didn't take him too long as picking locks was one of his specialties and it wasn't the first time he's picked the lock of the Yeller's back door. He chuckled silently and a smirk tugged on his lips when the door sprung open with a soft creak. He immediately stepped inside and made his way to the kitchen. Again, it wasn't his first time in the Yellers and he pretty much knew the whole house.

Zach opened their large refrigerator and his mouth watered at all the food in it. He moved over to the meat section where there was pork, chicken and beef. He took a portion from each, knowing the Yellers would never notice as he's done this before. He grabbed the smallest carton of milk and even a loaf of bread and a small block of cheese. This was already heaven for him and was like a queen's feast for his family.

He looked through more drawers and cabinets in the kitchen, looking for more things to take. He got a nice looking bag that held all the food he had. He was even thinking whether he should take one of the knives the Yellers had for himself since his knife at home was blunt and dirty. He was so into looking through drawers that he barely noticed the front door opening. He heard the sound of twinkling which meant someone had opened the door and Zach didn't remember inviting anyone in his robbery.

Cursing silently, Zach stuffed in everything he had taken inside the bag and ran to the back door. As soon as he left the kitchen, Mrs. Yeller came in with a bag of groceries. Zach immediately hid behind a wall that separated him from the kitchen and Mrs. Yeller. He took a peek and he saw Mrs. Yeller sit on one of the chairs with her back to him as she turned her kitchen TV on, filling the room with the sounds of the Capitol news. Without making a sound, Zach took a step forward, still staring at Mrs. Yellers blonde head, terrified she would look back and see him.

Although as he was staring, something caught his eye on one of the counters behind Mrs. Yeller. The knife he had been looking at was still there and Zach knew he couldn't leave without it. Very silently, Zach took two steps into the kitchen and reached for the knife. It made a small sound when the blade scratched the counter and Zach could have sworn any moment then he would start sweating blood. Of course, he didn't because Mrs. Yeller was too into her TV show that she barely even noticed the sound. Zach nearly sighed in happiness as he stepped back a few feet, still looking at Mrs. Yeller, praying that she wouldn't look back. When he finally exited the kitchen, he ran for the back door, his grin back on his face.

Unfortunately when he opened the door, the twinkling sound echoed inside the house and Zach cursed out loud. He heard the TV turn off and Zach immediately ran out of the house before Mrs. Yeller could leave the kitchen to check who was there. The Yellers' backyard was pretty big and the fence was still far from the door Zach just exited. He couldn't run or Mrs. Yeller would see him before he jumped over the fence. He spotted a huge tree just nearby and immediately ran to it.

Climbing was never one of his strong points, but this was a matter of life and death. If he was caught stealing, he'd be punished by the peacekeepers, especially since he was just a boy from the seam and he was robbing a wealthy merchant couple. He sunk his knife in the tree bark and pulled himself up enough to hold on to one of the branches. It took him a while to lift his whole body up to be hidden in the leaves but it was enough because as soon as he lifted his feet up, Mrs. Yeller came out of the back door.

"Who's there?" she demanded. "I know you're hear somewhere! I heard you! Come out, come out, you filthy child!"

"Canna, what are you doing?"

Mr. Yeller stepped out if the back door, frowning at his wife who seemed to be shouting at no one.

"He's here again! That child who keeps stealing from us! You have to believe me this time, Koda! I heard him!"

Mr. Yeller sighed, obviously not believing his wife one bit.

"We haven't lost anything, Canna," he said, rolling his eyes. "Come back inside."

Growling, Mrs. Yeller stomped back inside the house. Mr. Yeller followed her in and it was quiet once again. Zach sighed in relief, raking his sweaty jet-black hair with his fingers. He waited a few more minutes until he jumped back down on the ground as silent as he could. He ran to the fence and jumped over it, running back to the seam for dinner.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Rose Adams, 14_**

* * *

It tempted Rose to hunt more in the forest before the reaping. For about a year, Rose had been the one providing food for her family to continue living. She was the reason why they had three meals on the table everyday and she barely got any gratitude and thanks for it. Still, Rose was thankful for the events that happened in the forest a year ago. She wouldn't be alive if it weren't for that man and the bow and arrow.

Unfortunately, her sister Stella refused to let her hunt on reaping day.

"It's just for an hour," Rose grumbled irritatedly.

"You're out if you're mind, Rose," Stella snapped. "It's reaping day and peacekeepers are everywhere."

"Don't blame me when we don't have any food for dinner later then," Rose shot back, standing up from their tiny kitchen table and stomping her way to her room.

Rose didn't take time on dressing up for the reaping. Unlike everyone else, she didn't feel the need to dress up for an occasion like this. Stella though was in a short blue dress her mother had given her for her birthday just a month ago. She curled her bright blonde hair and even put some make-up on. It sickened Rose. Even worse was that they were identical. Stella was obviously the prettier one so nobody really paid attention to her other half.

The twins made their way to town square. Their parents would be going there from work so they couldn't see their daughters before they were pricked and sent in with the other fourteen year-olds. Stella squeaked as the needle sunk in her finger but Rose only flinched, refusing to let herself show weakness, especially to Capitol people.

Something then caught Rose's attention when she finally stepped in the square after getting her finger pricked. Just a few steps from her was Zach Quince, his dark hair so silky and his eyes so bright like the color of the sky. Rose could feel her knees weaken and her hands darting up to her hair, wishing she had styled it just as beautiful as Stella's. It's been two years and she was still in love with the boy, signing whenever he passed by and subtly looking in his direction during class. He was class clown and everyone loved him. He's also one of District Twelve's most wanted although no one actually knew he was the one stealing from people's houses except for some of the kids in class, Rose included.

Zach's beautiful eyes were so filled with worry at the moment and Rose could see why. His twelve year-old sister was sobbing in his arms, repeatedly saying she put too much in the bowl and she wanted to take them all back.

"There's no taking back, Diana," Zach said, his voice cracking. "I wish I could've stopped you from taking so much tessera but Matt just turned nineteen and he couldn't take any anymore. I'm so so sorry."

Rose could feel her own eyes watering at the sight, but she tried her best not to let the tears fall. _Don't cry, you weirdo_, she thought to herself. _You never cry. Stop it._

But despite her thoughts screaming for her not to, she finally let one tear fall and she immediately wiped it, turning her gaze away from the poor brother and sister. It affected her so greatly whenever she saw someone she loved getting hurt. She remembered a time when she and Stella were actually very close as twins. Stella had climbed up a tree in the tiny meadow Rose usually went to for peace. They were both eight. Stella was still so tiny and fragile and when she tried holding on to a thin branch, it snapped and she fell to the ground on her back, barely being able to breathe. Rose had never been so terrified and worried her whole life.

Rose had to force herself to walk to the fourteen year-old girls section and leave Zach and his sister. When the overly dressed escort greeted everyone, nobody greeted her back. Anything the escort actually says would be answered by silence from the district. It amused Rose to see the crestfallen expression of the escort whenever nobody would answer her.

"Well, lets start with the girls then," she said, walking over to the glass ball.

Her denim skin-tight jeans restricted her from walking in long strides and instead she walked with very small steps that took her about five minutes just to get to the glass ball. She stuffed her hand inside and pulled out a slip with a devilish grin. After another five minutes of walking back to the mic, she unrolled the paper and read the name out loud.

"Diana Quince!"

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Zach Quince, 14_**

* * *

This was impossible. This did not just happen. His twelve year-old sister did not just get reaped. Zach watched as peacekeepers finally spotted his sister who was sobbing on the ground in the twelve year-old girls section. Zach's blood turned cold and his whole being had turned pale. He could feel tears streaming down his cheeks and his throat was constricted. He was barely breathing and tears clouded his vision as his sister was dragged up stage. Only then did he react openly and violently.

"_Diana_!" he screamed louder than ever before, his voice filled with desperation. "_No, Diana_! _I volunteer! I volunteer_!"

"I'm sorry but we can only accept volunteers from the ladies at the moment, mister," the escort said into the microphone with a devilish smile just as Diana was pushed beside her by a peacekeeper.

"_Get your hands off her_!" Zach shouted, his legs sprinting to the stage but before he could reach the stairs, two peacekeepers grabbed his arms and pulled him back.

Zach struggled as he tried to pull away from them, screaming for his sister and begging for mercy.

"Do we have any volunteers from the ladies?" the escort asked, obviously happy with the drama going on in her district. When she was once again answered by silence, she opened her mouth again to speak but then something very unusual and surprising happened.

Zach watched as a petite blonde walked forward from the crowd, her hand raised and her face pale but determined. She shed no tears although fear was evident in her eyes.

"I volunteer," she said loud and clear.

Zach felt his mouth open and the weight from his shoulders lift. Diana wasn't going in, but this unknown but familiar girl was going in instead. Something about her ringed a bell in Zach's head but he didn't take time on dwelling on it since Diana was ushered down the stage by a peacekeeper and Zach immediately pulled her into his arms, not letting go. He refused to move so the escort was forced to continue with the two of them in front of the whole district.

When the escort rolled the slip of paper for the boys, a very nasty and wide grin grew on her face.

"Zach Quince!"

Zach's head snapped up to the escort, shaking his head. He couldn't be that unlucky. It wasn't possible that both him and his sister were reaped in the same year. Zach's feet would not move and he was glued to the spot, staring open-mouthed at the escort. Only when the peacekeeper started to drag him to stage did Zach's feet finally functioned and he was pulled away from Diana who screamed his name as she was held back by another peacekeeper.

Zach stood before his whole district who was looking at both him and his district partner with pity. He heard his district partner sadly sigh. If he heard her introduce herself correctly, her name was Rose. He never knew any Rose before, but this Rose seemed so familiar to him. Zach did not cry anymore although his face was still wet from the tears he shed for his sister. At least he was going in the arena, not Diana. At least he knew Diana was safe in District Twelve. But what about him? Was _he_ safe?

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Rose Adams, 14_**

* * *

When the door opened, Stella stomped inside with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Her face was so angry that Rose was actually a bit frightened by her.

"I can't _believe_ you volunteered for that stupid boy!" she shouted.

"I did the right thing," Rose said quietly, looking Stella straight in the eye.

"You think so?" Stella hissed. "You're just going to leave your own family to starve, is that it? _Is that what you think the right thing is_?"

"Go and starve, let's see if I care," Rose shot back. "I put food on our table and I don't even get gratitude or kindness in return. I come home with a rabbit and you ask if that's it. If you want more, why don't _you_ try hunting in the forest with the constant fear of getting caught?"

"I care about you, Rose! I don't want you to go in that arena! I can't believe you're going to leave the one person who's ever cared for you for another person who doesn't even know you!"

"I don't care if Zach doesn't know me!" Rose shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm doing this for him and you can't do anything about it! He gives me the reason to keep fighting for my life, don't you understand that? He gives me hope that there is a future outside this whole mess with the Capitol!"

"You barely even know him, Rose," Stella growled. "And I want nothing to do with you anymore. Good luck."

Stella yanked the door open and closed it behind her with a very loud bang. Rose was alone again, thinking if what Stella had said was true. Did she really do the right thing?

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Zach Quince, 14_**

* * *

Mr. And Mrs. Quince entered with their other two children, Matt and Diana. Diana was the first to give Zach a hug and she didn't let go even when Matt and his parents had hugged him. She silently cried in his shirt and nobody spoke a word of the events that just happened for a while. The whole family was definitely shocked at their luck for this year's reapings. If the Rose girl didn't volunteer, both Diana and Zach would be going in the arena together. Even though they had each other, chances were only one of them would be returning or none of them at all.

"Rough afternoon, isn't it?" Matt broke the silence, his voice cracking and his eyes watery.

"Definitely," Zach agreed, sniffing with a small chuckle.

"You're going to do great, Zach," his father said, patting him in the back. "I've seen you with your knife. You're pretty handy with it."

"What are you saying, daddy?" Diana said, finally letting go of Zach as she wiped her eyes. "Zach is amazing with a knife. I've seen him use it in really bad situations."

"Throwing really isn't my thing though," Zach said with a small smile.

"Who said knives were only for throwing?" Matt raised an eyebrow.

Zach grinned at him and the two hugged. He was definitely going to miss his older brother. At that moment, the family was forced out of the room. Diana screamed one last I love you before the door finally closed and they were gone. Zach did not cry anymore. He was actually smirking, a devilish glint in his eye. His family was right. He _was_ pretty handy with a knife. All those careers with their fancy throwing skills and such, they would never know what to expect from Zach and _his_ talent with knives.

* * *

**Hello! Hope you like District 12. Personally, I really like them. :) They're really interesting to me. What do you think? Tell me in a review!**

**Reviews are really helpful to me and they give me the motivation to write more. I hope you spare some time to tell me what you think. :)**

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	10. District Eleven: Lost Love

_**Olivia Lilac Thorne, District 11 Girl**_

**_Hunter Orion Vale, District 11 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Olivia Lilac Thorne, 15_**

* * *

Like a normal Saturday in District Eleven, Olivia Thorne was picking wild berries and plants in the outskirts of the forest. It was her usual pastime and she preferred doing it alone. It was her place of peace, quiet and her only chance to actually be alone and think. Back home, the house was filled with spoiled screams and whines from her little brothers and her two older sisters worked around the house to help, often going from one place to another in lightning speed. Olivia would always try to help, but housework just wasn't for her and this led her to the beautiful outside without anyone screaming and running around.

Although it seemed like a normal Saturday, it wasn't. In a week was the reaping and Olivia had dreaded the day ever since she turned twelve. Her second reaping had been the worst and one she would never ever forget. It had been drizzling but the reaping continued on as if there was no rain at all. Thunder rolled across the sky as District Eleven's escort, Skylar Oakley, read aloud the name for the girls. Olivia could remember it clear as day.

_"Sheila Poppy! Come up here darling! No need to be shy," Skylar said to no one in particular as he was still looking around for the girl._

_Olivia stood absolutely still, staring blankly at the ground as her best friend shook violently beside her. The peacekeepers spotted her and marched towards the shaking thirteen year-old. Out of desparation, Sheila held onto Olivia's arm in an iron grip which possibly left a bruise. Skylar must have seen her already because his obviously artificial purple eyes pierced into Sheila's fearful brown ones._

_"Come up, Sheila Poppy!" Skylar called with a kind smile on his face. "We can't wait forever you know."_

_Her best friend was reaped and Olivia did not know what to do. Was she to volunteer? Could she volunteer? No, she couldn't. Her whole family needed her home, but what about Shelia's? They need her too. Olivia could feel a lone tear make its path down her soft, delicate cheek as Sheila was forced to let go of Olivia's arm as she was dragged by peacekeepers up the stage._

_"_Mom_!" she screamed, looking around for her mother. "_Mom! Help me, mom! Mommy_!"_

_"_Sheila_!" Mrs. Poppy's desperate calls echoed in the square of the reaping. "_Let go of her, you monster_!"_

_Surprisingly, Mrs. Poppy managed to go over the rope without meeting any peacekeepers in the way. She ran for her daughter who struggled as she was forced to go up the stairs to the stage. Before Mrs. Poppy could reach her, a peacekeeper from another end of the square pulled a gun out and Olivia watched him shoot, the bullet lodging itself into Mrs. Poppy's thigh making her fall, knocking her head hard on the cement and she was unconscious._

_Sheila sobbed endlessly on stage, not even bothering to hide the tears. Olivia cried on her own, rubbing her bruising arm. She could see everyone else looking at Sheila, eyes filled with pity but at the same time, relief. But there was no relief in Olivia's eyes. She did not have the nerve to feel relieved because it was Sheila, her best friend and the person who's always been by her side besides her family, was reaped. She couldn't believe it. Sheila was much more well off than Olivia's family so she couldn't have taken any tessera. Her mother wouldn't let her either. What were the odds of Sheila getting picked when she had two slips of paper in that bowl?_

"Olivia?"

Snapping out of her thoughts, Olivia lifted her head up from gazing down at the plants and berries she already collected with glassy eyes. Lia, her green-eyed nineteen year-old sister, stood before her but a bit too far as she was behind the border of the forest. She never dared to step in even though Olivia's done if many times before. As soon as she saw Lia, she hastily wiped the tears forming in her eyes.

"You really have to forget about that reaping," Lia said, obviously noticing her tears. "It happens, Olivia. You can never go back to stop it. She's in a better place now."

"It's pretty hard to forget," Olivia said quietly.

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Hunter Orion Vale, 17_**

* * *

Far from the forest stood a tall, mourning boy with his brown hair neatly placed and his cold brown eyes gazing absentmindedly at the house a few meters before him. He was outside the old, dirty fence around the lot of the big house. The large field that was once so beautiful and green was simply just mud spread across the rest of the abandoned lot. The house by the field was covered in ash and rubble and Hunter could almost hear the cries of the burning workers in there again.

"It is not healthy for you to keep returning here, Hunter."

Without acknowledging the speaker, Hunter swiftly turned and started to walk away from the house, his face straight and his steps were stiff and forced.

"Hunter, dear–"

"Grandma, go away," Hunter finally spoke, his voice low with a growl.

"You don't talk like that to your grandmother, young man!" Hunter was scolded.

But no matter how many times she called for him to come back and talk to her, Hunter simply walked and walked and walked until he was back home. He rarely ever stayed in his room as he liked to stay in his little sister's room because he felt safe. It was like he was being watched by a very kind spirit. Hunter knew Garnet was there making sure her big brother was well. He was not like her. He was not sick, but he wished he was. He wished he was sick, just like her. He wished he would die, just like her. There was nothing left for him here.

Five years ago, his parents died in a fire. They were inside the house of the owner they worked for and there was an unexpected fire. No one ever knew what caused it and who did. Most people of District Eleven would say the fire came from the kitchen and coincidentally, the body of Hunter's father was found in the kitchen. He could still remember when almost everyone in the District looked at him and his sister like they were pieces of rubbish to be thrown in the sewers. His sister would cry all night and he would stay by her side.

As Hunter stood on the rough floor of his sister's bedroom, he heard soft knock on the door.

"Hunter, please talk to me."

It was his grandmother again. There were definitely times when Hunter would consider opening up to his grandmother, but he never opened up to anyone. So as usual, Hunter ignored his grandmother's calls and simply stared at the empty room of his now deceased eleven year-old sister. He would never know when his suffering would stop, but he knew it wouldn't be soon.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Olivia Lilac Thorne, 15_**

* * *

"Olivia, help me find Ember!" Lilac Thorne yelled from the kitchen as she packed the leftover lunch and stuffed it in the tiny refrigerator they could barely afford.

Down the hallway, a door opened and Acacia Thorne stepped out in a thin, slightly torn towel and her long brown hair soaking wet.

"Mom, Ember's in here! Let Olivia dress up first!" she said before shutting the door behind her.

Another door opened further into the hallway and Lia stepped out of the room holding up two dresses to show.

"Wait, Acacia, I need your help! Which dress should I wear?"

But Acacia was already gone and was back in her room. Lia stomped her way to her door and noisily banged her fist on the old wood, calling Acacia's name and demanding for her to open the door. Amidst the screams and shouts around the busy household, Olivia Thorne stepped out of the room she shared with her older sister Acacia and Lia almost hit Olivia's head with her fist. Apologizing quickly, Lia slightly pushed her little sister out of the way to find the other Thorne in the room. Unfortunately for her, there were two other Thornes in room, Jasper and Ember. Cackling, Jasper took one of Lia's dresses and ran down the hallway.

"_Ugh, Jasper, come back_!" Lia screeched, running after her brother.

Olivia had no idea how she managed to convince Jasper to return Lia's dress, force Ember (with the help of another male Thorne, Fern, of course) into taking a bath and finally picking something for Lia to wear. All that mattered was that Olivia was finally outside her house, doing her finishing touches on her three little brothers. After their dress shirts were wrinkle free and their shoes were squeaky clean, the rowdy family was on their way to the reaping.

"When are we going to get tessera for mom again, Olivia?" Fern asked, his voice high and his hazel eyes wide.

"If it's possible, never," Olivia said, taking his hand in hers as they walked.

"Why do you take tessera then?" he asked, a crease forming in between his eyebrows.

"Because I have to or you won't be able to eat, silly," Olivia replied with a sad chuckle, squeezing his small delicate hand.

"If you're taking tessera, I wanna take tessera too!" Jasper whined, overhearing their conversation.

"Get a whole bunch for all I care," Lia grumbled, obviously still irritated at the dress situation earlier.

"Lia!" Lilac scolded her daughter.

"You know I don't mean it."

"That's still no reason to say it," Lilac said, frowning at the words of her daughter.

Olivia and her family finally reached the reaping field where a stage was set and the lone victor of District Eleven sat silently on her chair. Skylar Oakley grinned before his mic as he watched everyone settle in for the reapings, and the mayor sat beside the victor looking like a nervous wreck like he usually does at this time of the year.

It was hard to say goodbye to her whole family and it was even harder to enter the field alone, joining the other candidates for District Eleven's tributes this year. It took a while for everyone to finally settle in and Olivia just wanted this over with. She managed to get through three reapings already. She still had hope in her that she would get through this one.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Hunter Orion Vale, 17_**

* * *

"Welcome, District Eleven, to you reaping for the fifty-second annual Hunger Games!" Skylar Oakley said into the mike, his bright green hair even messier than before and his skin tight shirt and jeans looking even tighter, if that was even possible, than usual.

Hunter stood in his spot with the other seventeen year-olds. A few tried to make a conversation with him which was normal during reapings since everyone was probably bored out of their minds. Hunter did not mind them. He did not even spare them a glance. With a huff, they would return to listening to Skylar and Hunter wouldn't even care.

What he hated the most was the mayor's speech because it showed the whole Panem how pathetic this District really was. He was stuttering over his words and would occassionally bring out a piece of paper from his pocket to read aloud his lines that he was supposed to memorize. Hunter didn't understand how the mayor could act like this to millions of people. Then again, it was the reapings and Hunter knew many people went insane just at the thought of being picked. The mayor had a son who was thirteen if Hunter recalled correctly. He must have been worried, but Hunter knew he knew nothing about the pain of losing someone. Half of him actually wanted his son to be picked, just so he could experience how much pain and how much of his life he would lose when his son was finally gone.

Nobody knew how it felt like. Nobody would ever understand him.

"Olivia Thorne!"

Surprised, Hunter snapped out of his thoughts, wondering how long he dazed out. _Thorne_, he knew that name. An older Thorne died the same year his sister did as they both died with the same disease. They were the only two known to have gotten the very rare disease in twenty years.

Hunter tried to look around for the girl. He could hear cries and screams from the outside crowd, those who weren't eligible for the reapings. Finally, the girl was spotted and the peacekeepers ran to her before she could go anywhere. By the look of her, Hunter didn't think she had any plans on going anywhere, not even to the stage. Her face was all white and her eyes were big and absolutely terrified. Hunter could feel a surge of sympathy in him for the young girl.

She was dragged by the peacekeepers. She didn't struggle nor did she even move her legs. Her face was completely blank and it looked like she was dead except for the facts that her eyes were wide open and she was breathing quickly and uncontrollably.

"Now, for the boys!" Skylar said when Olivia was finally upstage, her back hunched and her legs shaking.

Skylar walked over to the bowl for boys and pulled out one tiny slip of paper. Unrolling it, he excitedly grinned as he read the name aloud.

"Hunter Vale!"

Hunter blinked, his heart beat clouding his ears from hearing anything. _Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub_. It was all that he could hear. His blood had gone cold and his eyes were wide with anger and hate. He forced himself move forward. The other seventeen year-olds already made a path for him for him to the stage. He would never let those filthy peacekeepers touch him. Slowly, he made his way up the stage and faced the whole of his district beside his sobbing, motionless district partner.

He was going to die, just like his whole family. He was going to join them soon and he didn't mind at all. It would be much better than being in the cruel world he lived in today.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Olivia Lilac Thorne, 15_**

* * *

Olivia couldn't believe just about an hour ago, she was talking to her three little brothers about tessera. With what just happened, there was no way they would be taking any tessera when they turned twelve. These thoughts swirled around Olivia's head as she curled up in a ball in the corner of the room, sobbing.

Her whole family came in all at once, crying as well. Not even the boys had their sneaky grins and glints in their eyes. Lia seemed to have gotten the dress situation out of her head. Acacia was simply bawling her eyes out and she was the loudest crier out of them all. Lilac couldn't even look Olivia in the eye. Olivia knew why. Her mother was the one who suggested for her to take more tessera this year. She must have blamed herself for Olivia getting reaped.

"You're going to come back, okay?" Fern squeaked out, his voice very shaky and his eyes bloodshot. "You're a survivor. You'll come out alive."

"Fern, you can never be sure," Olivia whimpered.

"I know, but it won't hurt to stay positive right?" Fern replied, nodding his head and wrapping his arms around Olivia's waist.

"Olivia, don't go!" Jasper and Ember cried at the same time, running to their big sister and hugging her as well.

She couldn't believe this might just be the last time she would be seeing these annoying rascals she has taken care of ever since they're were born. It was all just too fast. It was like Sheila all over again except she wasn't the one asking for her not to go. She was the one being asked to stay now and it felt horrible. Was this how Sheila felt like when she was reaped? How did she cope with this kind of feeling?

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Hunter Orion Vale, 17_**

* * *

It was quiet and tear free in the room of the Justice Building he was pushed into just a few minutes ago. He sat on the velvet couch, his face void of emotion. He waited patiently for someone to come in and say goodbye. As expected, his grandmother entered, her face free of tears as well but so full of fear. She cautiously approached her grandson until she was able to sit beside him on the couch. For a few minutes, no one spoke. Not being able to take the silence, Hunter broke it.

"How do you think dying feels like?" Hunter asked in a raspy voice.

"I don't know," his grandmother chuckled. "I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"Well, what do you think then?"

His grandmother lifted her head up and stared into Hunter's eyes that were so filled with hurt and anger.

"I think death is something that should not be feared," she answered slowly. "I believe death is not the end of someone's life but simply a continuation, my child. Your father, my daughter and my granddaughter are all still with you. They never left. You keep thinking you're alone when really, they're all around you, watching your every move and making sure you're doing okay. Promise me something, Hunter."

Hunter looked deep into his grandmother's eyes, holding on to every word she said as it might be the last he would hear from someone who was his real family.

"Never ever think you're alone," his grandmother said, taking both his hands in hers and squeezing them in assurance. "You never were and you never will be."

* * *

**Hey guys! Here's the new chapter! How are the tributes? Tell me what you think in a review! All reviews are appreciated and I love you all who give me such great motivation to type the next chapter up as soon as possible!**

**Another thing, I know people have been having problem with some pictures in my blog and I think I've finally fixed it. If you don't mind please check it out again so I know if it's working already or not for you guys. Thank you so much again guys! Tell me what you think in a review! :)**

**~jess**


	11. District Seven: Arguments

_**Amelie Spaulding, District 7 Girl **_

**_Miles Palmer, District 7 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before the Reaping**

**_Amelie Spaulding, 17_**

* * *

_Umph!_

For the third time that day, Amelie Spaulding was pinned to the ground by her muscular grinning cousin, Elijah. Her dark blonde pixie cut hair was all over her gray eyes and forehead making her squint to see through her bangs.

"Three and counting, Amelie," he said.

"Suck it. That was lucky!" Amelie spat.

"And so were my last two wins? I don't think so," Elijah chuckled.

Silently, Elijah got up from the mat and stood on both legs. He stretched out his hand to hel his little cousin up. Bitterly, Amelie took the offer and Elijah pulled her up to her feet.

"Up for another?" Amelie offered, setting her fighting stance.

"Nah, I'm gonna go get some fresh air," Elijah said as he put his hands on his waist and leaned back to stretch. "Why don't you go ask Callghan?"

Amelie lowered her arms and grumbled in disappointment.

"I know you're going to miss me, Spaulding, but I gotta get out with my friends once in a while," Eljiah said with a wink.

Rolling her eyes, Amelie 'playfully' punched him in the shoulder which made Elijah lose footing and almost fall to the ground as he clutched his shoulder in pain.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go," he said in a weak, pained voice.

Amelie faked a sweet smile and wiggled her fingers at him as a goodbye as he slowly walked out of the matted room. As soon as Elijah left, Amelie realized she was stuck with fixing up the room before her father came home. Her father never liked their training room left unfixed. Cursing Elijah silently for leaving her alone to this mess, Amelie detattched the mats and piled them up in one corner. After half an hour, she was sweating profusely but at least she was done.

Her twenty-four year-old cousin Callaghan then entered the room with a soft knock on a the door and a small smile on his delicate, scarless face.

"Wanna go grab some ice cream? It's hot as crap in here." he said.

"Maybe it's just me," Amelie smugly smiled, walking over to her cousin.

"Eh, it could be any one of us," Callaghan said with a shrug.

Laughing, Amelie grabbed his arm and dragged him to the front door to leave the house. If there wasn't a tree in sight in District Five, there was a tree in every corner and street of District Eight. The District was surrounded by a very thick forest where most people of Eight worked. Unlike the rest of the districts, the forest of District Eight wasn't forbidden. In fact, at most half of the district stepped in the forest for work every single day. Of course, the peacekeepers would never let these people escape through the forest, so as the people of Eight worked, peacekeepers were lined as a border in the deeper part of the forest. It meant people were only allowed to stay until there.

The smell of oak and willow was practically heaven to Amelie as she sniffed the air as soon as she stepped outside. The rustling of the leaves in the wind were music to her ears, and she even reveled in the distant thumping sound from the forest. The two walked through the streets towards the local ice cream shop. It was the only ice cream shop in the district and it was very expensive. Amelie didn't have much money from her father, but Callaghan and Elijah always treated her to these kinds of things because of the money they inherited from their father, who had died in the same accident in the forest with Amelie's mother.

"How was combat with Elijah today?" Callaghan asked as they neared the shop.

"Pinned me thrice."

Callaghan let out a bark of laughter.

"He just got lucky!" Amelie said, a smile forming on her face and she let out a chuckle.

"Bet I can do better," Callaghan said with a wink, his bright blue eyes shining as the two finally reached the ice cream shop and he ordered two cones.

"You wish," Amelie shot back playfully. "I bet I could pin you down in seconds."

"How _dare_ you?" Callaghan said with an exaggerated gasp. "Okay, what about we see who's better back home in the training room?"

"Fine. You better watch your ass because I'm totally going to pin you down first!"

With another bark of laughter, Callaghan developed a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Race you there!"

And with that, he bolted down the street towards the house.

"No fair! You got a head start!" Amelie shouted as she started running as well.

The cousins ran further down the street, leaving behind a very confused ice cream man as he held two cones of melting vanilla and strawberry ice cream.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Amelie Spaulding, 17_**

* * *

On her way to the edge of the forest where the stage was set for the reaping, Amelie walked with both her cousins and her father once again absent from their little group. As usual, they were like a rowdy group of boys laughing over something really shallow. Amelie would never know how she reached seventeen with these two boys living with her.

"I saw uncle slip yesterday in the staircase."

For an odd reason, this made the three burst into fits of laughter. They were receiving odd looks from many people passing by who wore straight faces and sullen looks as they approached the reaping square set in the outskirts of District Eight's forest. Amelie would forever thank her cousins for taking away most of her worry in the reapings. They both got out without getting reaped, didn't they? She only had two more years. She _had_ to come out like Elijah and Callaghan.

It pained Amelie to say goodbye to Elijah and Callaghan when she reached the line where she had to stay and wait for her turn to get her finger pricked. After one last hug, she finally let herself in. She bit her tongue to keep herself from yelping when the needle sunk in her finger. When she finally entered the square, she walked over to the other seventeen year-olds and waited.

Sadly, there were some technical difficulties with the mic and the escort came in the late. Their reaping had to start five minutes late which obviously irritated the Capitol people filming. It also greatly annoyed Amelie seeing as she isn't the most patient person in the world. She muttered curses under her breath when the underdressed escort of her district walked up on stage in a shiny pink tube top that only covered her breasts and a matching mini skirt, exposing her long, flawless legs. It almost made Amelie barf.

"I apologize for the delay," she said into the mic, batting her unnaturally long eyelashes and flipping her very long white blonde hair over her shoulder. "Let's start with the reaping now, shall we?"

She called up the mayor and Amelie almost yawned at the boring, monotone speech. Also after the video shown every year during the reaping, the escort Harmonie Reigoore stuffed her stubby hand into the bowl of slips for the girls and finally took a slip out and unrolling it when she finally reached the mic.

"Amelie Spaulding!"

Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, Amelie started to shake and felt not tears forming in her eyes. She did not cry since she kept the tears in. That was her name. What was her name? Amelie, yes. Amelie was her name. She was just picked. Amelie Spalding was her name, and it was just picked. She was going into the games. She was going in and not even her brother's desperate cries from outside the square could save her. Still shaking, she forced herself to step forward before she was dragged. It was just two more years. Just two more years, she would have been safe from the chance of getting reaped. It was all so sudden; so soon. A few minutes ago, Amelie was laughing with her brothers at how Eijah saw Amelie's father slip down the staircase. There was nothing to laugh about now.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Amelie Spaulding, 17_**

* * *

"Those _assholes_!"

"Elijah, calm down. You can't do anything about it."

"Are you saying you don't care that Amelie was just _picked_, Callaghan? I'm personally going to go there and punch that–"

"Elijah, _enough_!"

The room was then silent, Elijah glaring openly at his uncle who basically just told him to shut up. Callaghan sat beside Amelie who was unusually quiet and she bit her lip, refusing to cry. It was so hard for her to see Elijah and Callaghan act this way. She's never even seen Elijah this angry before. It was very frightening. Still, she refused to show weakness to the three boys who taught her to fight and be tough.

"Amelie, you have to try your best to get out, okay?" Callaghan said, breaking the silence in the room as he stared into Amelie's clear gray eyes.

"She _will_ get out," Elijah snapped, his voice cracking. "I know she will."

"You're putting pressure on her, Elijah. Stop it," Callaghan shot back

"No, it's fine. I _will_ get out," Amelie suddenly said.

"Amelie–"

"What you don't believe in her, Callaghan?" Elijah barked at his brother.

"I do, but I'm just looking at this as a whole, Elijah," Callaghan snapped. "I'm open to any kind of possibly."

"I can't believe after all those years of teaching her, you won't even believe that she'll get out alive!"

"That has nothing to do with anything!" Callaghan shouted. "If you want to be the narrow-minded person you are, then so be it. Just don't be surprised when there's a tribute out there who's at the same level as Amelie."

Speechless, Elijah stared at him in rage. With a loud sigh, Callaghan turned back to Amelie and pulled her in a hug, whispering in her ear.

"I do believe in you, Amelie," he said. "Never fall into the arms of pride and arrogance. You must see yourself as an equal with all the others."

* * *

**Hey guys! Quick update, I know. :) Hope you liked this chapter! Notice it's only in one persons perspective because I don't want to write about bloodbath tributes anymore. Also, after the last two reapings, I won't be writing about train rides. You'll see what comes next after the reapings soon. :)**

**How do you like the chapter? The character? Any ideas what will happen after the reapings are over? Tell me in a review! I read every review I get and to everyone who reviews, thank you so very much! :)**

**~jess**


	12. District Three: Thief

**_Relly Jay, District 3 Girl_**

**_Beckham Lester, District 3 Boy_**

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

**_Relly Jay, 14_**

* * *

"Mom, I'm home!"

"Grab some food in the kitchen honey! I spared some lunch for you!"

Relly Jay's home in District Three definitely wasn't much, but Relly didn't mind. As long as she had somewhere to stay, she was good. Her mother didn't make much money in the factory and her father's private clock-making business wasn't very popular, but her parents knew how to save. They could spare a few hundreds to pay for Relly's school and her daily needs. Both mother and father were very sweet and caring, so it makes sense how Relly's probably one of the kindest people in her district.

"I'll bring my lunch out, mom!" Relly called again as she packed a few slices of stale bread and soup. "I'll go check on something outside!"

Relly enjoyed the outdoors very much. She didn't like being cooped up inside a shabby old home her whole life. Despite the polluted air from every factory situated in her district, she still managed to enjoy the heat and outdoors. Relly walked through the streets of Three as she nibbled on one of the tiny slices of bread left for her. She passed by the village where merchants and Capitol workers usually lived. As usual, she stopped in front of the biggest house of the district which was owned by the mayor and his two children, Leanard and Leona.

The mayor's daughter was Leona Maize and she was in the same class as Relly. She was a very pleasant person to be with, but Relly's envy over her fortune clouded her real judgement of the dark-haired fourteen year-old. When Leona would ask her for a pencil to borrow, Relly wouldn't be able to hold her words in and she'd make a comment about how she had enough money to buy all the pencils in the world, and she didn't even bring at least one for school. Leona hasn't spoken to her ever since.

Guilt overcame the petite blonde as her wide pale blue eyes scanned the newly refurbished lawn and spotless mansion. Relly could see an expensive fountain that lay on the middle of the neatly mowed grass as water noisily flowed from the smallest and topmost basin to the biggest and bottom most basin of the fountain. It wasn't Leona's fault that she was so fortunate and could afford anything. Relly had no right to act so hostile towards her for such a reason.

Sighing, Relly turned away from the house and forced herself to walk away, refusing to linger by the mansion any longer. On her way back to her own street, Relly nibbled on the second to the last small slice of bread she brought out with her. The bread was dry and tasteless and her stomach grumbled for more. She already learned how to deal with this kind of thing. Hunger was a usual for her. She didn't have Leona's riches to obtain expensive meats like beef and luxury seafood such as shrimp and oysters. District Four was simply a boat ride away, but rarely any seafood was sold in Three and when there was stock in their public market, prices would go as high as Relly's tuition fee in her school.

Slightly bitter as she grieved for more bread to fill her stomach, Relly trotted along the sidewalk and nearly tripped over a small boy who sat silently by the road. At the last second, Relly managed to stop before any serious damage was done such as accidentally kicking the boy or Relly tripping and getting an injury. He seemed to be crying a bit although not too much. His dark eyes were only slightly watery and barely any tears streamed down his cheeks. He had a head full of chocolate brown locks and pale skin filled with untreated wounds, scabs and large scars.

"I'm sorry for the blocking the way," the boy said in a slightly frightened tone, standing up from the sidewalk and hastily wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"No, it's all good," Relly said in a kind tone. "Are you feeling alright?"

He nodded quickly, wiping his tear-stained hand on the oversized rags he wore.

"Are you sure?" Relly pressed further, absentmindedly taking a small bite from the piece of bread she still held.

The boy's eyes darted to the bread Relly held and the brown paper bag she brought with her other hand, automatically assuming the contents of the bag were more pieces of bread. Relly didn't notice his greedy looks though. She was too concerned with the fact that she found the small boy crying alone. She desperately wanted to say something, but she didn't know what to say.

She was too into her own thoughts on what she would say to lift the little boy a bit out of his misery that she was caught off-guard when he suddenly snatched the bitten bread off her fingers and yanked the paper bag out of her slackened grip. She let out a squeak and simply watched with wide and terrified eyes as the thief ran down the street and turned a corner.

Relly felt a lump in her throat and hot tears soaking her cheeks. She felt so foolish and cheated. She had showed compassion to the boy, and he thanked her by stealing what was probably her only food for the day. Silently crying to herself, she turned to continue her journey home knowing she could do nothing about the stolen food and the young thief.

* * *

**The Reaping**

**_Relly Jay, 14_**

* * *

Reaping Day seemed like any other day in Three. Relly woke up to the smell of polluted air and her mother called her down to eat her portion of breakfast. She changed quickly and silently. Her mother and father talked amiably in the table as Relly continued to take small sips from her hot soup. Snce she had no school that day, Relly walked back to her room to try and preoccupy herself with things like reading and sorting her small pile of clothes in her old, wooden closet.

It seemed like such a normal day, but the atmosphere of reaping day lingered. Relly had taken tessera for her family, but she didn't want to worry herself too much. She couldn't afford to go insane over reaping day like many of the people in Three did. She had to keep her mind set and focused. She couldn't let it wander and overcome her.

_I'm not going to get reaped_, she thought. _Not this year_.

At the back of her mind, she wished the boy who stole her food would get reaped this year. A second after though, guilt would eat her up inside for even wishing something as cruel as that.

On her way to the covered area in the middle of the district, Relly's eyes darted around, trying to spot the boy she met a week ago. There was so much bitterness and anger inside her for the boy, but she also felt sorry for him. He must have been in a worse condition than her, having to resort to stealing food from others. Even Relly wasn't in that bad of a hunger situation.

Pushing these thoughts away, Relly stepped in the roped area after her finger was pricked. She found her way to the other fourteen year-old girls and found her friend Alena in the crowd.

"How late do you think Serra's going to be this year?" Alena asked with a small snort. "She had us waiting for almost an hour last year."

Relly shrugged. "Maybe she had an emergency meeting of a sort."

Alena rolled her eyes and let out a louder snort. "Nah, she probably had another scheduled plastic surgery on the same date and time."

Chuckling, Relly let her gaze wander and it suddenly focused on the stage where a tall dark-haired woman in a black pencil skirt and a simple white blouse stood before the mic. Relly narrowed her eyes at the woman. She wasn't Serra, the usual escort of District Three. Three couldn't possibly have a new escort already. Last year was only Serra's third year and usually escorts lasted for more than ten with their assigned district.

"We have a new one?" Relly asked with a frown.

"Can't say I'm surprised about that," Alena said with raised eyebrows as her hazel eyes watched the new escort.

"Welcome, District Three!" the woman said into the mic when everyone settled. Her voice was stiff and her tone was firm. She hardly looked like a usual escort. There was nothing extravagant about her. She looked so plain. "I am your new escort, Georgina. Serra Washer was exterminated for illegal doings about a month ago and I was assigned to take her place. Now, off to the reapings. We will go by the usual which is ladies first."

"She's a bore," Alena said with an exaggerated yawn, flipping her vibrant yellow curls over her shoulder.

Relly did not reply to her friend as she was too focused on Georgina as she walked to the reaping bowl, her heels making a clanking noise on the wooden stage. She did not bother taking a slip deep inside the bowl itself. She opted to simply take a slip that rested on top of the pile to speed up this year's reapings. When she returned in front of the mic, her voice echoed and was clearly said.

"Relly Jay!"

A small squeal escaped her already parted lips. Her hands started to shake uncontrollably and her whole body was completely stiff. It did not completely register in her brain. Everything was simply blank to her and she couldn't hear anything, not even the sound of her beating heart or the demanding calls of the new escort. Then she felt a soft hand at her lower back and pushed her forward. With blank eyes, Relly turned to her friend and gave her a small nod. Finally, she took a step forward right in time for the first tear to fall.

On stage, she openly cried but it was silent. She barely sniffed or even moved. She didn't wipe her stained face and streaming drops of pain. Georgina already picked a slip for the boys, but Relly did not even care who her partner would be. This would be one of the last days of her life; she knew that. She could do nothing about it; she knew that too. Everything was going too fast and she desperately wanted time to slow down.

When she thought things could not get any worse, they did, for the male tribute's name was called and her thief stepped forward looking just as, if not more, frightened as she was.

* * *

**The Justice Building**

**_Relly Jay, 14_**

* * *

"No matter what happens, know that I am so proud of you and I love you so much, do you understand, Relly?"

In the Justice Building, Relly was full out sobbing. She would constantly hiccup and her eyes were bloodshot. She held onto her father as he whispered in her ear, saying anything that was actually swirling around his thoughts at that moment. All he could say was that he was proud that she was his daughter and he loved her so much. Usually these words would comfort Relly greatly but now, it just got her more terrified and worried of all the possibilities in that wretched arena.

"I'm going to try my very best to get out of there, dad," Relly said quickly, hiccuping after her last word. "I–I'm going to do this for you and mom and— Oh, dad, I'm s–so scared! I'm so terrified and I don't know what to do and–"

"You are so strong, Relly," her father said, gripping her shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. "We raised you to be a strong woman and it's going to take a lot for you to break down and give up. I know you can do this, dear."

After saying one last goodbye to her mother as well, Relly's parents were forced out of the room and nearly all hope for her was gone. But with a determined face, Relly kept her father's parting words with her. She could never _ever_ lose hope. It may be the one thing she has left.

* * *

**Hello! I apologize for the long wait but I didn't get much feedback in my last chapter which sort of lowered my motivation to write. I'll try to post the next chapter sooner as it's already the last. Tell me what you think of this chapter and the tribute! Thank you to the two who reviewed my last chapter. You guys are great! As for the others, thanks for the read and I do hope you tell me what you think of this chapter. :)**

**~jess**


	13. District One: The Beginning

_**Sapphire Wilkes, District 1 Girl**_

_**Necali Reinerston, District 1 Boy**_

* * *

**Life Before The Reaping**

_**Necali Reinerston, 18**_

* * *

One knife, two knives, three knives, and the fourth knife flew out of the room when the door suddenly opened and the intruder had to duck to keep it from piercing in his skull. Sasha Reinerston sent his eldest son a fierce glare just as Necali's fourth knife sunk in the opposite wall.

"Care to explain why the hell you're throwing knives at your bedroom door?" Necali's father snapped his eyes filled with the intensity of anger.

"_You_ were the one who told me to keep practicing for the games, father. Why would I even _dare_ to disobey your word?" Necali said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You talk properly to your father, boy!" Sasha growled.

Suddenly, Necali's fifth knife came hurtling towards Sasha and he ducked once again, looking back to watch it sink in the opposite wall beside the fourth knife.

"_Oops_," Necali drawled.

In rage, Sasha stomped his way to his son who uninterestedly stared back with his olive green eyes and lazily raked his hand through his golden-brown hair.

"_Is that what they teach you in the training center, you filthy piece of –"_

"No, it's not what they teach in the godforsaken training center because I don't give a crap with what they teach there and I do and act what and how I want and I don't want you or the idiots in your precious _training center _to tell me to do otherwise!"

Pushing his father out of the way, Necali trotted down the hall to the staircase. Ignoring his father's calls, he slid down the smooth railing of the stairs until he reached the bottom floor and jumped off, walking briskly towards the front door.

Necali could safely say that District One was definitely one of the most feared and leading competitors in the Hunger Games. They were part of the well-known alliance of the career tributes and for the past four years, the victors participated in that alliance. For Necali, winning would be fairly easy as he's trained his whole life only to have that moment of glory in front of the world as the year's victor for the Games. It's what his father dreamed of for years. Having one of his children hold the name of Reinerston as a victor was what he wished his children would achieve. Obviously since Necali was the first-born, his father tried his very best to prepare him to volunteer at eighteen.

The memory of his father forcing him to enter the training center was still fresh in his head. He was only seven and quite terrified, but he didn't like to show it. Who wouldn't be terrified at seven years old when they were being forced to learn how to use weapons on other people? Necali knew how easy it was to simply drop his weapons and disobey his father, but he didn't really want to become homeless at such a young age.

Without intending to do so, Necali's short walk outside to escape his home led him to District One's training center. Screwing his face up in disgust, he turned to walk away but unluckily, one of his trainers walked out of the building right at that moment and spotted the disgusted blonde.

"Ah, Necali!" he said cheerfully, his dark hair flat on his head and his bright blue eyes shining behind a pair of old spectacles. "I was wondering when you'd show up for today's training!"

"Today is my free day," Necali replied coldly, his voice low and his eyes piercing his trainer's blue ones.

"Is it?" Necali's trainer said sounding genuinely confused. "I didn't know you had free days, Necali! Your father just doesn't seem like the kind of man who would give you breaks from this kind of thing."

"Well, he doesn't know and he's not never going to, am I right, Watzen?" Necali dangerously murmured in Watzen's ear, slightly pulling his knife out of the inner pocket of his jacket and making sure Watzen saw it.

It was very risky to threaten one of the trainers in the training center, but Necali was lucky enough to run into the weakest trainer out of all. Gulping, Watzen nodded shakily and Necali stepped back with a satisfied smile and pocketed his knife once again.

"Very good," Necali said. "Now, what are you going to say if my father asks what I did for training today?"

"He did very well," Watzen said fearfully, his eyes darting from Necali and back to the entrance of the building.

"Precisely."

After finally letting Watzen run back into the training center, Necali turned to walk again, still further away from his home and the hands of his sadistic, controlling father.

* * *

**The Reaping**

_**Necali Reinerston, 18**_

* * *

Everyone was out and the training center was supposedly closed during Reaping Day. Though after being forced by his father, Necali had to borrow a key from one of the trainers to let himself in and practice with his knives one last time. He brought a few friends with him though and the three friends simply watched him train not looking interested in any way.

"How long do you even have to stay here?" a tall, muscular ginger asked impatiently.

"Maybe we can stay here until _after_ the reaping," Necali said monotonously with a shrug, whipping his arm forward with his sixth knife and he watched it sink in the middle of his target board.

A short, smirking brunette snickered at Necali's words.

"Why suddenly a coward before the reaping, Necali?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

Her sentence made Necali stop his throwing and turn to her.

"I am no coward," he hissed, raising his arm and throwing his seventh knife at the same target board without even looking. The seventh knife sunk in beside his sixth and the muscular boy looked reasonably impressed.

"That's not a nice way to talk, Necali," the girl purred with a vicious smile. "How on earth are you supposed to get sponsors that way? I'll probably end up getting more sponsors than you will this year. What do you think, Reg?"

"Quit it, Sapphire," Reg said, rolling his eyes. "As if you can win against Necali."

"You're supposed to _agree_ with me," Sapphire snapped, slapping Reg's muscular arm.

"Just because Necali has anger issues doesn't mean–"

"_I don't have anger issues_!" Necali snapped hearing a loud thud just as his eighth knife sunk in one of the mannequins in the knife-throwing center.

Not being able to take Reg's stupidity and Sapphire's arrogance, Necali decided to stop his training and finally leave the training center to go to the reaping. Him and Sapphire were volunteering this year and God knows what his father would do to him if he didn't actually show up. He just wanted to get this over with. As he got closer to the reaping square, he finally started to feel the pressure of volunteering. He _had_ to win. He didn't really want an early death and his father was practically telling him he wouldn't be considered as one of his sons if he did not do well and win the games.

After a yawn-worthy speech given by the mayor of District One, the escort Caramel Flay greeted everyone once again with delight. Some citizens cheered with the escort. Caramel was pleased with the reaction, adjusting his insanely printed polo and pulled up his unbelted blue jeans. He walked over to the reaping bowl for the girls and pulled out a name. Barely even reading the name, Sapphire already pushed her way through the crowd and raised her hand with the biggest smirk on her face.

"I volunteer!" she loudly announced, her voice filled with pride.

"Well, come up here and introduce yourself, young lady!" Caramel said excitedly with a huge grin.

"District One, I am Sapphire Wilkes and I will return as your victor," she said confidently into the microphone the moment she stepped on stage.

Necali scowled at his old friend as she stood on stage with determination. He watched Caramel pick a slip from the bowl for boys and he read the name out loud. He let the thirteen year-old sweat a bit, not speaking up to volunteer just yet. He suddenly caught the piercing pale eyes of his father who stood behind the rope that separated the adults and little children from those of reaping age. The message behind his father's piercing gaze was clear. _Volunteer now, or you'll be saying goodbye to everything you have._

"Do we have any volunteers?" Caramel's voice echoed in the silence. The young boy already stood on stage, sweating profusely and at the verge of tears.

Taking a deep breath, Necali slowly walked forward with a straight face and his hands deep inside the pockets of his slacks.

"I volunteer," he said loud enough to be heard by everyone, but he didn't shout like Sapphire did.

Necali watched the boy hop down from the stage, obviously relieved. Sighing, Necali walked up to the stage and faced the whole of his district. He didn't dare look into his father's eyes again, but he knew he was still staring.

"Necali Reinerston," he said into the microphone without any fancy promises such as saying he'd return as victor or bringing glory to his district.

Caramel seemed pretty surprised at his short introduction on introducing himself but she let it pass.

"Well, please welcome your tributes, District One! Sapphire Wilkes and Necali Reinerston!"

* * *

**The Justice Building**

_**Necali Reinerston, 18**_

* * *

His arms crossed and his eyes staring blankly at the door, Necali waited for his parents to come and give him their last words before they finally sent him into the arena like they always wanted. The last thing Necali wanted to do was speak to them as they put him up in this mess, but like always, he had no choice. He didn't want to hear anymore from them since anything they would say would probably just add up to the pressure that was already on his back. Maybe his siblings would come with his parents to visit, but he highly doubted that since they were probably already forced to return to the training center right after the reaping.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, Sasha and Opal finally stepped in with their usual scowls on their face.

"You're going to win this, Necali. You must," Opal said.

"He has no choice _but_ to win this," Sasha said in a low tone directed to his wife.

"Indeed," Opal said with a tight nod. "Put all your training into good use and win this for us and for yourself."

"Mostly just for you guys," Necali muttered, refusing to meet his parents stares.

"You believe you wont get anything out of winning this?" Sasha said in disbelief. "Boy, we are talking about a lifetime of riches and glory! How could you say that this would only benefit us? We are doing you a favor here, Necali."

"Well, I don't want your favors! I'm so sick of you trying to run my life just to benefit your own!"

Opal clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Do you really think you are going to win this with that kind of attitude, Necali?"

"If I'm going to win the games, then I'm going to do it my way," Necali snarled, ignoring his mother's comment. "I'm not going to answer to your demands anymore. I'm the one who volunteered, not you."

A peacekeeper then entered the room and announced the end of Sasha and Opal's time with their son.

"Do not even _think_ of embarrassing our family name out there, Necali," Sasha hissed. "Play that game well."

Necali's parents then left the room and the door slammed shut behind them. Sitting down on the couch, Necali let a small smirk grow on his face. _Let the games begin, dad._

* * *

**Hello! Fast update yay! Here's the last reaping chapter! I'm so excited to get into the pre-game stuff like training and the interviews and the chariot rides. Just so you guys know, I put up a poll for your favourite tributes! You can vote up to three. I'm still going to choose whoever the victor will be and maybe this poll will help. I won't ****guarantee that the favourite will be the victor though. I just want to know who you all like. Also, _please don't vote for your own tributes_ so I there's no bias. The poll is in my profile. Thank you! :)**

**What do you guys think of Necali? I actually like him. He was really fun to write which was why I look a short while to finish his chapter. Please review what you think and if you have any suggestions, I'm open to them all. :)**

**~jess**


	14. The Arrivals Part 1

**Head Gamemaker's Office**

_**Franco Creswell, 24**_

* * *

For the first time in days, the control room was calm and all the gamemakers knew what to do, where to go and how they were going to do their job. Also for the first time in days, Franco Creswell was sitting in his office, calmer than ever as he looked down on the papers on his desk with a crease in between his eyebrows as his eyes looked through each and every detail on the papers he held.

The telephone on Franco's desk rang and slightly irritated at the disturbance, he clicked a button on the telephone that enabled the Franco to hear and speak to the speaker without having to go through the hassle of taking the phone and putting it by his ear.

"This is Franco Creswell in the head gamemaker's office. All calls are to be sent to my secretary at this time of the day for I am very busy–"

A high-pitched demanding tone then interrupted Franco as he spoke. "Franco, this is your mother!"

"Wha– Mom, I'm at work!" Franco said with a scowl. "Can you please call later when–"

"Franco, the replays of the reapings are on! Isn't it the head gamemaker's job to know the tributes for this year's games?"

"Yes, but it's not exactly required for the head gamemaker to watch the –"

"Oh, you just missed District One! Two is next, Franco. I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to watch Two."

Franco hesitated, his blue eyes darting from the phone and to the flat screen television set in his office.

"No, mom. I'm doing something else at the moment," Franco said quickly.

"But–"

"Bye, mom!"

He pressed the button that would end the call and he immediately put the phone on busy so no one would be able to call him. Sighing, he stared at the blank television for a few minutes before finally making up his mind and picking up the television remote.

Before he could press the on button and start watching the reapings, someone unexpectedly barged in his office.

"Mr. Creswell, the tributes have arrived!"

It was Carter Jennesen, one of Franco's best gamemakers. His hair was neatly brushed; a pair of clear spectacles rested on the bridge of his nose and looking through the lenses was a pair of wide dark menacing eyes. Ever since the last Head Gamemaker was publicly executed for going against the Capitol, Carter was expected by everyone to become his successor. Franco could still remember that glorifying moment when he was appointed as head in front of the citizens of the Capitol and was broadcasted all over Panem.

He was twenty-four years old, the youngest gamemaker to ever receive a spot as head. Even he himself was surprised at President Friselbee's decision. He was also very aware of the fact that unlike all the other gamemakers here, Franco wasn't born and raised in the Capitol. In fact, he grew up in District Two where he was forced to train for the games and volunteer when he was eighteen. When he finally reached eighteen, Franco unfortunately surrendered to fear and doubts and he didn't volunteer like he was expected to.

Disowned by his father, Franco ran away to his mother, sneaking into the train that was normally occupied by workers in his district visiting the Capitol. He only ever visited the Capitol once to visit his mother who was a rich Capitol woman. He only met her twice then, the second time was him begging for her to take him in as her son, claiming his father had disowned him after he let his cowardice show in his last ever reaping. Out of mercy and compassion, Vivian Creswell let her only son in the comfort of her home, changing his whole being completely so nobody would be able to recognize the fact that he came from a district.

At twenty-four years old, Franco was a new man and he accepted the job as head with pride. He would not show the same cowardice as he did before.

"Are all the tributes in the Remake Center?" Franco asked Carter, looking over the papers of the tributes one last time.

"Last time I checked, Districts One to Six were already in their respective centers and the rest were just coming out of their trains."

"Very well. Thank you, Carter. You may go."

The spectacled man exited the office. Franco exhaled heavily and leaned back on his chair. Finally, he was able to turn the television on and District Three's reapings were showing. He had missed his home district's reaping. He couldn't help but feel relieved.

* * *

**Arrival Of Tributes**

* * *

_**District 1**_

_**Necali Reinerston, 18**_

* * *

If Sapphire says one more word about her "good chances of winning", Necali was definitely going to throw a knife at her goddamn throat. Surprisingly as Necali continued to sent his district partner vicious glares, Sapphire did stop speaking although her mouth was wide open as she stared outside the window of the train. A crease appearing in between his eyebrows, Necali turned to see what exactly made her shut that loud mouth of hers.

Being from District One, the distance between the district and the Capitol itself wasn't too far so people from other districts would expect the citizens of District One to visit the Capitol every so often. Necali, though, has never stepped foot on the rich, precious grounds of the place, nor has he seen it with his own eyes.

Necali definitely wasn't disappointed when he first laid his eyes on the breathtaking architecture of each building and the city atmosphere he had never felt before in his isolated district. Open-mouthed, he stared at the hundreds of Capitol citizens gathered in the train station, cheering for the tributes. He could even see people at the back jumping just to catch a glimpse of the train and hopefully the tributes themselves.

"There's so many of them," Necali whispered in awe as he watched each citizen scream for his attention.

"I don't see why you're so surprised," Sapphire lightly laughed as she waved at the screaming people outside.

"I'm sorry, but I never really thought Capitol people would be so welcoming," Necali said, rolling his eyes.

"You'd better get used to it then. You can't possibly believe these people would treat you here like you're a normal citizen. We're practically celebrities now."

Necali sighed, knowing that she was right.

"You know, Necali, we're probably going to be allies in the arena," Sapphire continued to speak, turning away from the citizens just as the train slowed to a full stop.

"You think I don't know that?" Necali murmured.

Sapphire shot him a glare. "I've known you since we were little kids, Necali. I assure you you'd rather have me as an ally than any of the others who you're just about to meet."

He would never admit straight to her but if Necali were to choose the one person he'd really want by his side in the arena, it _would_ be Sapphire. In the arena, he couldn't really trust anyone, but Sapphire should be the person he would definitely be close to trusting. It would be wrong to lose her as an ally as early as now.

"Right," Necali said with a nod. "We're going to be allies. You watched the replays, didn't you? How were the rest?"

By "the rest", Necali obviously meant the other careers they were expected to ally with. Necali was just praying that they wouldn't be controlling idiots. He's dealt with enough of them back home. His father was number one on his list.

"Usual," Sapphire answered with a shrug. "They're all volunteers. District Two looks more impressive than Four though. The girl from Four looked pretty small to me. She's a volunteer though so hopefully the academy there had enough sense to pick the best out of all."

"Don't underestimate her."

Necali and Sapphire turned to the door that separated the eating area and hallway in the train. A dark-haired woman stood tall by the open door, her small black eyes fixed on the two tributes with a calculating stare. She wore a blood red tank top with a pair of tight jeans and shiny heels. Unlike the rest of the victors of District One, she hasn't exactly stayed in the Capitol that much and liked to stay in the comfort of her home district. She was Beryl Messerschmitt, the victor of the 49th Hunger Games.

"Four has a thing for giving tributes that always have something up their sleeve," Beryl said with a slight drawl to her tone as she walked to the long table of different breakfast foods. She picked up an apple from a basket of fruits and took a large bite, chewing noisily as the two tributes simply watched her.

"I never liked Four," Sapphire muttered.

Beryl shrugged. "They're still useful. I've to say Two looks more impressive. The boy looks like a fine piece of work if you asked me." She sent Sapphire a wink.

Necali was fully aware that Sapphire was very uncomfortable in Beryl's presence and he held back a chuckle. Beryl's dark eyes then turned to Necali himself and they scanned him from top to bottom. Necali tried his best not to show that her lingering gaze on him bothered him.

"You don't look too bad yourself," Beryl said. "Let's just hope your attitude's as good as your looks."

Necali sighed in relief when she finally started to walk out of the room. Before she completely left, she turned around with raised eyebrows.

"Well, the train's stopped," she said. "Are you guys coming or what?"

* * *

_**District 2**_

_**Kellisa Partage, 16 – **__**Ares Hammersmith, 18**_

* * *

The automatic doors of the train slowly opened to reveal the tributes of District Two to the citizens. There was a thin way through the train station with ropes as borders to keep the colorful citizens of the Capitol from ambushing the tributes. As tributes of Two, it was normal for the citizens to expect a lot from them. They've trained their whole lives for this and they had the most number of victors. Unfortunately, one of the victors was the disgustingly arrogant Raegan Hammersmith who irritated Kellisa Partage to the core.

The scowling brunette was roughly pushed aside as she stood by the entrance of the train. Raegan began to make her way through the crowd, her hips swaying and her lips puckered as she winked flirtatiously at the cheering people. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about whom they were actually going to cheer for in the arena.

"What a show off," Ares Hammersmith crossly said as he stepped down from the train and joined Kellisa.

"And to think, _she's_ going to be the one helping us for the games," Kellisa grumbled, her hand twitching as she desperately wanted to get a hold of a bow and shoot an arrow on Raegan Hammersmith's head.

"You're just lucky you don't have to deal with her as a sister, Partage," Ares snapped, pushing Kellisa out of the way with his muscular shoulder and making his way through the crowd like his sister did with an overly cocky grin on his face, winking at anyone who cheered for him.

"_Hammersmiths_," Kellisa mumbled irately to herself, wondering how exactly she was going to deal with _two_ of them before she would finally be able to step in the Hunger Games arena.

As Kellisa finally followed the Hammersmiths through the crowd, Ares was enjoying his moment in the spotlight. Ladies of the Capitol were practically throwing themselves at him and he felt like a god. This was the life he wanted. This was also the life Raegan. Instead of girls though, single boys practically lined up just to see her and she had the money and the fame. Ares would be getting all that soon. He won't be in Raegan's shadow any longer.

As he winked at another colorful Cpaitol lady who screamed for his attention, Ares noticed Kellisa finally caught up to him and was even waving to a few people. He snorted at her forced smile and uptight figure. Her eyes were wide with anxiousness and it was obvious she didn't want anything to do with these people at the moment.

"You look particularly ecstatic today, Partage."

Immediately, a scowl took over her forced features and Kellisa threw a punch at Ares' muscular shoulder. Refusing to show weakness to his possible sponsors, Ares bit his tongue to keep himself from yelping and his hand nearly shot up to hold his arm in pain. He shot his fuming district partner a glare but his usual smirk appeared once again, his blue eyes glinting.

"How come it's so natural for you to look so angry and you can hardly even smile?" Ares asked.

If it was even possible, Kellisa's scowl deepened and she lifted her fist up again. Before she could do anything though, Ares' hand immediately enclosed around her wrist and the two pierced into each other's eyes.

"You've already shown the people here how easily I can rile you up," Ares said. "Why don't you try to give them a smile for a change? It can't hurt."

Kellisa was absolutely furious at how Ares was making her look right now. There was a camera right above the two of them and it was documenting every word Ares was saying and every action the two were doing. She stared up at Ares' sparkling blue eyes and confident smirk. This boy was the biggest douche she has ever crossed paths with. Problem was, he was a well-trained, clever douche who was currently embarrassing her in front of the whole of Panem.

Realizing this, Kellisa forcibly pulled her arm back to get her wrist out of Ares' grip. Huffing, she turned to walk again and as she turned, her brown hair whipped Ares' annoyingly arrogant face. It successfully made his smirk disappear and Kellisa nearly sneered out of satisfaction. She then heard Ares sigh behind her and a few Capitol women sigh dreamily with a couple of "awes". Kellisa stopped dead in her tracks, her ears straining to hear what he'd say next.

"I was only trying to help her," he said sadly. "At this rate, she won't even survive in the bloodbath!"

More "awes" and cries came from the crowd.

"You can have me, Ares!" a Capitol woman shouted.

"You can have me too!" another said.

"Alas! If only," Ares sighed dramatically.

Trying not to let the anger show on her face, Kellisa turned around with a wide fiery eyes and her shoulders shaking in fury. Ares sent her a subtle wink but immediately returned to his dramatic and depressed act. She stood in the middle of the crowd, completely oblivious on what she'd do now. Ares already started on his tactic and that was to make her look so weak and in need of his help. There was no way to bring these people on her side since Ares already had them around his finger. She wasn't going to let him do this to her. She was not weak. She had to think of her own act to get these Capitol people on her side. That couldn't be too hard. Ares Hammersmith could think of one after all, and Kellisa definitely saw herself as an equal.

* * *

_**District Three**_

_**Relly Jay, 14**_

* * *

Beckham Lester was already taken to his own Remake Center. Relly barely even saw the twelve year-old in the train. She was completely oblivious to why he wouldn't even look at her. She wanted to have a good start with him. She wanted to have at least one friend in this whole situation. That was all she wanted. All she thought about was how lonely she would be the next few days. She didn't dare think of the possibilities inside the arena. She just wanted a friend, and Beckham did not even try to approach her ever since both their names were called.

"Relly?"

Relly lifted her head up to her mentor, Cassavera Tratten. Cassavera was petite with long flowing midnight black hair and big speck-filled brown eyes. She was barely into her twenties and it showed. She actually looked only a few years older than Relly. Relly could look up to her though. She seemed like a very nice person. That was exactly what she needed. She just needed someone pleasant and kind and she would be able to keep her sanity.

"You can go in your Remake Center now," Cassavera said softly. "Your prep team is going to be in there. Don't be afraid of them. Just do whatever they say."

"I'm sure they're nice," Relly said with a smile.

Cassavera made a face, but Relly didn't really dwell on that fact. She was excited to meet new people. Her mentor lead her to a large glass door in a deserted hallway and through it, she could see three people with their backs to her. They were bending over a long white table that was situated in the middle of the room. The place was designed with glass and all white. The walls were painted white and there were about three large glass windows around the room. The room was very big, but there seemed to be no furniture in it except for the long white table and three small tables surrounding the long one. Cassavera sent Relly one last nod before she walked down the hall and out of sight.

Taking a deep breath, Relly stepped in the room with a smile and immediately, the three people in blue uniform turned. She was surprised at their sudden attention and at their different appearances. The girl by the left of the long table was narrow-eyed with long multi-colored curly hair and her face covered with pink make-up. The boy who seemed to be wiping the long table with a rag pierced Relly's light eyes with his own bright yellow ones. He was completely bald and his scalp and entire body was sea green. He wore brightly colored clothes and high-heeled shoes despite the fact that he was obviously a man. The last in blue was another girl who was older than the first two. She had short platinum blonde hair that was neatly brushed; her bangs gelled to the side. Her skin was flawless and completely white. Her eyes were almost as pale as her skin and the intensity in them gave Relly goose bumps.

"I'm Relly," she introduced herself to the three with wide nervous eyes.

"We know who you are, love," the first girl with the colorful hair said kindly. Her voice was so soft and sweet that Relly trusted and liked her almost immediately.

"Come here so we can start on you," the boy snapped impatiently. "We can't wait all day, can we?"

Their accent was evident as they spoke and Relly tried not to giggle, but she ultimately failed as she let out a laugh after the boy spoke.

"Is there anything funny?" he asked irately.

"You speak funny," Relly bluntly said as she continued to giggle.

The second girl with the pale skin openly laughed.

"You hear that, Maxim?" she said, still with the funny accent. "You speak funny!"

"Really, because I don't find it funny at all," Maxim retorted.

"Relly, let's just get started on you, shall we?" the first girl said, giving Relly a hand gesture that obviously meant for her to come closer.

Still smiling, Relly walked over to the colorful-haired woman. She introduced herself as Fedora and the other was Oasis. Fedora instructed Relly to strip off the clothing she wore and lay down on the table for them to start their work on her. Relly bit her lip as she slowly followed Fedora's instructions. She didn't wanted to feel so exposed to people she didn't know yet.

"I– I'm scared," Relly said softly, her hands clinging on to the bottom of her shirt, not wanting to lift it over her head.

"We won't hurt you, Relly," Fedora said before glancing at her two partners.

"Yes, of course we won't," Maxim nodded with an all too fake smile as he pulled out some sort of tape. "I'll just be in charge on getting all that hair off your skin. That wouldn't look too nice to the sponsors, now would it?"

"Don't scare her, Maxim," Oasis said with a roll of her eyes, slapping the boy's arm before turning her attention to the fourteen year-old. "Don't worry, Relly. Waxing won't hurt as much if you stay still."

"You're both scaring her!" Fedora screeched at the two and she immediately tried to calm herself with deep breaths after and turned to Relly once again. "Just lay on the table, Relly. It's all going to be very quick."

All three pairs of eyes were directed at her, all expecting her to strip down and lay in the middle of the three of them. Sighing, Relly finally took their word and complied.

* * *

_**District Four**_

_**Terra Johansenn, 15 – **__**Reif Larken, 18**_

* * *

Terra was in her own Remake room and she already lost count on how many times she hissed curses at her prep team. They didn't have a very good start either. As soon as Terra stepped in the room, they immediately blurted out ideas on how they would be able to get all the tattoos off her skin. The dark skinned fifteen year-old nearly strangled the three women right then and there.

The prep team wasn't exactly her biggest fan either.

"Is waxing supposed to hurt this much?" Terra barked unkindly at the three women who worked on her.

"Oh, no, it isn't actually supposed to hurt that much," the pink-skinned, wide-eyed woman named Samanda who waxed her said with a slight drawl to her tone.

"_Then why is it_?" Terra said through gritted teeth as her dark eyes narrowed furiously at her.

The Samanda simply shrugged with a smirk on her face. If Vanilla, the woman who worked on her hair, were not holding her head back, Terra would have completely pounced on her.

"Stop moving!" Vanilla snapped, pushing her dark purple hair behind her shoulder to keep it from covering her freckled face.

"Your nails are so dirty!" came Sesame's shrill complaining as she examined Terra's fingernails.

Terra irately pulled her hand away from Sesame's judgmental eyes.

"Oh, give me that," Sesame snapped, roughly taking Terra's hand again and started to scrape the dirt under the nails and cutting them so they didn't seem as long.

After what felt like a lifetime, the prep team finally kept their hands to themselves and Terra lay on the table, clean and flawless except for the tattoos that were left untouched. She was about to sit up but Samanda crudely pushed Terra back down which resulted to her head hitting the table hard enough to cause her eyes to water in pain.

"Oops, sorry," Samanda said, not sounding sorry at all.

Terra opened her mouth to cuss at her once again, but another woman suddenly entered the Remake Center . The prep team immediately stood tall and alert as the woman approached. She appeared to be a usual Capitol woman, but Terra already knew she was her stylist. Her strawberry blond hair was tied up and very frizzy. Her eyelashes were unusually long and she wore shiny bright yellow eye shadow. Her dress was short and puffy with intricate patterns sewn on the gold fabric. Her heels clicked noisily in the room as she strolled closer to the table where Terra lay.

Surprisingly, the fifteen-year old kept her mouth shut as her stylist examined her naked body on the table. Her narrowed eyes simply watch the woman as she circled the table.

"Come with me," the stylist finally spoke, taking a robe from one of the shelves and handing it to Terra.

"Where are we going?" Terra asked with a slight frown, not trusting this woman in the slightest. She accepted the robe though and immediately put it on, covering herself once again.

"We're going to my brother," she said with a smirk.

The stylist started to walk away and Terra just watched her go. Vanilla glowered when she spotted Terra still seated.

"What do you think you're doing? Follow her!"

"Wha– Oh, I knew that," Terra said indignantly as she hopped off the table and pushed Vanilla out of the way with her shoulder.

In the room where Terra and her stylist were off to, Reif Larken sat petulantly on the velvet couch holding up a glass of champagne. The room wasn't especially big, but it definitely cost ten times more than the money he would get if he sold his own two-story house back home. The floor was carpeted red and a glass coffee table was positioned in the middle of the room. There was one couch, which was occupied by Reif, and two tall stools placed on the other side of the coffee table, opposite the couch.

On one of the stools, a light-haired man sat with a bit of scruff and his skin colored by a sickly shade of green. He too held a glass of champagne. His eyes were fixed on the glass door as he waited for his sister to come in with the other tribute.

"Is your sister usually late to these kinds of things?" Reif asked infuriatedly.

"She'll be here soon," Reif's stylist said.

At that moment, the other stylist entered with Terra following behind her. The stylist took her seat beside her brother. Terra's eyes darted from the stylists to Reif. Snarling, she took the seat beside Reif on the velvet couch but she kept a considerable distance from him. Reif was satisfied, not wanting the girl to get anywhere nearer.

"Well, I'm Alpha and this is my sister, Aero," the male stylist started with a kind smile.

Aero nodded, her eyes boring into Reif's as she kept a straight face.

"We are the stylists of District Four," Alpha continued. "Our styles are actually very similar which was why we were partnered up. Before we get into the details of what you are wearing, I'd like to know your names."

"Terra Johansenn," Terra immediately introduced herself.

All three turned their attention to Reif who continued to stay silent, his gaze wandering off somewhere else. He then started to feel the gaze of the others and brought himself back into the conversation by shrugging, assuming they were asking his opinion on something. He then returned to blocking himself out of the discussion. Alpha looked from Terra, who openly glowered at her district partner, to Reif, who stared blankly at the ceiling. Sighing, he knew this was going to be a long day.

* * *

_**District Five**_

_**Drew Perrin, 15 – **__**Langston Calder, 15**_

* * *

While waiting for the stylists, Drew took the opportunity to start a conversation with her district partner. In the train, the two didn't really talk very much as they both had their own mentors and were mostly separated throughout the trip. This would actually be the first time the two would talk alone. He didn't look too bad to Drew. He had a good build and she even remembered him to have quite a few scars on him before he the prep team did their work on him.

Drew could definitely remember how she refused to take her shirt off despite being willing to take everything else off. Her prep team practically took her shirt off themselves revealing one of her biggest secrets. The three of them alarmingly stared at her hip. The tiny bullet was clearly seen although from afar, one wouldn't realize what it was at first. The skin around it was dead and dark, clearly ruined. The prep team did not know what to do with it at first, but Drew told them they didn't have to do anything. She just needed to cover it to keep it from being seen. They seemed pretty satisfied with that and continued with their work on her.

So far, only her prep team and her stylist knew about her secret. She couldn't let anyone else find out. That would practically be suicide once she steps in the arena. Whoever would want to kill her would obviously target the bullet. It would weaken her greatly if someone was able to take it out or even just touch it or make it go even deeper.

While Drew dealt with her problems of being dangerously injured, Langston was dealing with something else. One thing he was sure of was the fact that he had to get an alliance in the arena. He _needed_ one. He knew he couldn't survive alone, so his best option was to survive with a partner or maybe even a whole group. Problem was, he could barely even talk to anyone here. How in the world could he start his own alliance, or at least join one?

"Hi, I'm Drew," the brunette beside him sitting on the couch introduced herself, unable to take the silence.

Langston blinked. _Maybe it wouldn't be too hard after all…_

"Langston," he said nervously, holding out his hand.

Drew took his hand eagerly with a wide grin.

"I saw you once," Langston said. "You passed by my house and you were singing a song…"

"You heard me?" Drew said with a gasp.

"Well–"

"Of course you did. You just said that," Drew answered herself before Langston could finish his sentence. "You won't mind if you kept that a secret, right? Just between you and me? Mom would kill me if she knew someone actually heard me sing it. Though before she could kill me, I'd probably be dead…" She ended her sentence with a sad chuckle.

"You'll never know. I'd probably die before you."

"Ridiculous," Drew waved him off. "I'm sure you'll do fine. If you live The Other Side, you're a survivor. I'll probably die in the bloodbath. Maybe dying in the bloodbath would be better than going far in the games. I would probably spare myself from getting killed in a more brutal manner."

Langston listened as Drew continued to speak of her family. She'd make a few jokes from time to time but he wouldn't laugh and she would only chuckle a bit. Langston could tell her being reaped affected her real persona somehow. Although despite the fact that they only just met each other, Langston already wanted her to be his ally in the district. It was always best to be allies with your district partner. You'd understand each other somehow and would create a bigger bond than with any other tribute.

"–Then there's Avery whom surprisingly, I really miss–"

"Would you like to be my ally, Drew?" he asked, interrupting her in the middle of her sentence.

She blinked at him and immediately a smile lit up on her face.

"Yeah, absolutely!"

Smiling back at her, Langston nodded.

"We're totally going to kick ass in that arena," Drew laughed in delight.

This made Langston grin. He was very glad he made at least one friend. He couldn't have asked for anything better.

* * *

_**District Six**_

_**Macy Zimmer, 16 – **__**Percy Eden, 16**_

* * *

The different tributes from different districts got ready in their own little circle with their escorts, mentors and stylists. Percy watched the others, his eyes scrutinizing and piercing. He barely listened to the mentor he and his district partner shared. This quite irritated him and snapped his fingers in front of Percy's face to get his attention.

"What?" he snapped, turning to the messy-haired blonde in his early thirties.

"You listen to me when I'm talking, Eden," his mentor, Cadmus Trevers, said coldly.

Not wanting to argue, Percy turned away from the other tributes and focused on his mentor. Macy stood beside him in a strange costume where the bottom of the gown was puffy and blue with patterns resembling waves in the ocean; above this was a series of gray straps going around her stomach revealing some skin and this signified roads or land even; lastly, the top and sleeves were completely white and blue and her headpiece resembled the clouds. Percy could see its relation to transport since anyone could use water, land and air for transportation.

Sadly, Percy wore a similar costume. His headpiece was even giving him an itch.

"Just smile and wave, okay you two?" Cadmus said. "They're going to love you out there."

"Yeah," his district partner, Macy, said obviously trying to act positive.

"I doubt," Percy said aloofly.

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine," Cadmus said with a fake smile. "Listen, kid. That kind of attitude isn't going to get you anywhere in that arena, especially with allies."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Okay."

Macy Zimmer, on the other hand, had to be honest. She was absolutely terrified of Percy. Ever since the train ride, she's been to shy and afraid to introduce herself to him. The two obviously only knew each other's names because they were announced in the reaping. Percy was very quiet and he liked to stay in the corner by himself reading a book. Macy would stay away from him but she would often debate with herself whether she should approach him or not. In the end, she decided not to. Now, the two were barely even acquaintances. It was like they were invisible to each other.

Cadmus left to look for their missing stylists. Macy knew their stylists were a couple so she had an idea why they were both gone at this time. It was a bit awkward because their escort Trek was busy flirting with the other escorts who were women. Macy was left with Percy alone. She stared at him for a bit, watching him as he directs his gaze to the other tributes, particularly the careers.

"Look at that girl from One looking so full of herself," Percy started to speak which startled Macy. She didn't think he'd ever even start a conversation with her.

Macy let her eyes follow Percy's. The girl from One did indeed look confident as she stepped up on the chariot with her head up high. She and her district partner wore very colorful costumes. It shined in different colors that could probably be seen from a mile away.

"I'm more afraid of the pair from Two," Macy admitted, her gaze leaving the tributes from One and directing it to the muscular tributes of District Two.

Percy turned around to finally meet Macy's eyes.

"Careers aren't exactly the brightest in the bunch," he said. "They're more of brawn over brains. Well, most of them have no brains at all."

"How would you know?" Macy asked, her gaze still lingering at the muscular careers.

"I don't really," Percy admitted. "But it's quite common if you watched the past games."

"I never watch the games," Macy mumbled, her hand twitching at the thought of actually watching children die on television.

An uncomfortable silence arose and Percy and Macy just stood there, not knowing what to say. Maybe that was more of just Macy. Percy's analytical gaze lingered at Macy. It seemed like he was thinking of something and Macy opened her mouth to ask but he spoke before she could.

"I believe making alliances before the games start is quite useless," he said. "How do you think you'll be able to stick together in the whole chaos of the bloodbath? You can talk of a meeting place, but nobody knows how the arena looks like until they're in the arena themselves. The only tributes that can successfully make an alliance before the games are the careers. That's only because the cornucopia is practically their ground and they automatically own it, wherever it is. They can stick together there."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want us to be allies," Percy bluntly stated. "But again, I can't make an alliance with you now. In the arena though, let's assume we both survive the bloodbath. If ever we cross paths, we can form our alliance from there. What do you say?"

Macy couldn't believe this. Someone actually wanted to make an alliance with her. Percy was pretty smart as well. He would definitely be useful in the arena. Macy could only pray to meet him again during the games. She'd even look for him if she had to.

"I'm in," Macy said with a smile.

"Brilliant," Percy said with a curt nod.

Both tributes of Six then noticed how the others hurriedly helped each other up on their chariots. Cadmus finally returned and ushered the two to their chariot. It took them a while to realize that the Tribute Parade was finally starting.

* * *

**Hello! Here is the first chapter of the pre-games! Yay! Now you know how I'm going to write it all. It's actually like a chain of events and each district gets their own. You can probably guess that the next six districts would be able to see the chariot rides in their perspective. Tell me what you think of this set-up! I just thought to do something a bit different and doing one scene e.g. the train rides with all the districts getting their own perspective will take really long.**

**There will be scenes that each district will have to have their own! One will be the private sessions for their scores. :)**

**Again, for those who didn't vote yet, please do! There's a poll on my profile and you can vote up to three tributes. Please do! And don't vote for your own to avoid biases! Thank you!**

**Tell me what you think in a review please! They help loads. :)**

**~jess**


	15. The Arrivals Part 2

_**District Seven**_

_**Amelie Spaulding, 17**_

* * *

It was highly infuriating for Amelie to wear a tree costume in front of the whole of Panem. This might as well be the most used and unoriginal idea in the history of ideas in Amelie's opinion. She was comforted at the fact that she wasn't the only one wearing the ridiculous outfit though. She stood on her chariot, waiting for her district's turn to show itself to the cheering citizens of the Capitol on the other side of the closed area where all districts gathered before the parade. Beside Amelie stood a pale thirteen year-old boy with jet-black hair and distant brown eyes.

"And there goes District One," he said softly to himself as he watched One's chariot reveal itself to the people.

The cheers and screams of the citizens were deafening. Amelie even had to stick her fingers in her ears to keep the noise from damaging her eardrums.

"Loud, aren't they?" her district partner had to shout for him to be heard.

Amelie nodded irately as she narrowed her eyes at District Two as they rolled out with their own chariot and if possible, the crowd cheered even louder.

"I _can't_ _wait_ for Three!" Amelie bellowed, annoyance evident in her tone.

Following the blonde's wishes, District Three trailed behind Two and like Amelie alleged, the crowd cheered less. Amelie could finally hear her own voice.

"Thank _God_," she sighed in relief. "Let's just hope this lasts."

"I'm Miles," her District partner abruptly introduced himself and catching Amelie by surprise with his outstretched hand.

Miles was much shorter than her; Amelie had to look down to meet his eyes. They actually looked cheery and he seemed so tranquil for a person who was about to participate in a gruesome battle in the arena of the Hunger Games. Amelie wouldn't hesitate to kill him though. There were times of which kindness and soft-heartedness wouldn't get you anywhere. Partaking in the Hunger games should be one of those times. If you had to kill, then you must. It saddened Amelie that this boy would indeed have to die in the arena for her to live. If ever the two were to face each other off in a battle though, Amelie couldn't feel sympathy any longer.

Smiling lightly, Amelie took his hand and shook it in greeting. Before she could say her own name, the deafening cheers resumed and Amelie could only groan in frustration. As soon as District Five rolled out, the cheers subsided once again and Amelie sighed in relief as she knew that since the careers were all out there, the Capitol citizens wouldn't even bother acknowledging the rest. Amelie chuckled darkly at this.

_Let's see how you'll all react when your precious careers are gone_, Amelie thought bitterly.

The pair from Seven didn't continue speaking. Both tributes impatiently waited for their turn to finally roll out and reveal themselves to Panem. As much as Amelie detested her outfit, she just wanted to get this over with. She snuck a glance at Miles who didn't look like he was having fun with his costume either. Though unlike Amelie, Miles didn't let his impatience show as he had a light smile on his face and his usual calm demeanor. He was already starting to try to make an impression on the people out there and Amelie simply stood there with a scowl on her face.

_The boy is smarter than I thought_, Amelie mused in her head.

Finally, Six's chariot rolled out with the two tributes looking quite bizarre with their transportation-themed costume. After a few minutes, Seven's chariot started to move towards the exit of the tent they were hidden in. They slowly approached the exit and as soon as they were revealed, Amelie couldn't help but gasp at the hundreds of multicolored Capitol citizens cheering and waving at her and her District partner. She couldn't help but let a smile grow on her face and wave at the people. Miles was doing the same except he was grinning from ear to ear.

Remarkably, the blissful attitude of both tributes caused the people of the Capitol to cheer even louder. Laughing a bit, Amelie continued her act with her District partner. She twisted to see if Miles was doing the same and he was. Though Amelie noticed that Miles wasn't just doing it to get attention from sponsors like she was. He was genuinely happy and excited to see them all. The way he looked and waved at them all was so sincere that the Capitol loved him.

When their chariot decelerated, Amelie could see some of the other tributes looking at her and her partner with jealousy evident in their eyes. She couldn't help but feel smug at the fact that they almost got the same amount of cheers and applause as the career districts. Amelie didn't meet their eyes but she could already feel the smirk forming on her face.

* * *

_**District Eight**_

_**Erizelda Morrison, 17 – Burton Howl, 14**_

* * *

When the elevator doors opened with a faint _ding_, Erizelda couldn't help but let out a tiny gasp. Her chocolate brown eyes were wide and filled with awe as she stared at the floor they were living in as they trained for the games. The entire floor was carpeted red and a rather large glass table was settled in front of an enormous glass window that displayed the beautiful skyline of the Capitol. Not too far from the dining table was a fluffy velvet couch situated in front of a flat screen TV fixed on the pure white wall. There was a hallway extending both ways, the dining room and TV area located in the middle of the floor.

"Welcome, tributes of District Eight!" the escort Merry Pladdens said in a greeting with her arm stretched out as to present the floor to them. "This is where you'll be staying for the next three days!"

"Three days?" Burton questioned sounding disappointed. "Can't we stay here forever?" He stepped out of the elevator first and practically collapsed on the carpeted floor.

"That is one big no, Burton Howl," Merry said with a smile creepily growing on her face and her emerald eyes wide as she stared down at the fourteen year-old.

Zelda almost laughed at how uncomfortable he seemed under Merry's bloodcurdling gaze. He immediately stood up and walked over to the dining table where he sat on one of the chairs.

"When's dinner?"

"I'll be in my room if any of you need me," Zelda said wanting to get away from both of them as soon as possible. She needed some time alone. Unfortunately, Merry didn't believe she did.

"You're not going to your room until after dinner, Erizelda," Merry said snippily before Zelda could move.

"She's right, Morrison," a man came from the right side of the hallway.

He was probably in his thirties with salt and pepper hair and lifeless brown eyes. He wore a baggy shirt and ripped jeans with a pair of hunting boots. He gave the atmosphere of a frail old man except for the fact that he was clearly still quite young. _Do all victors look this miserable?_

"Roman Valdez at your service," he drawled as he sat on the chair opposite Burton's.

"Sit, Erizelda," Merry ordered, the same smile on her face and her eyes piercing into Zelda's.

She wanted to snap at her so bad, but Zelda did not really want to get to Merry Pladdens' bad side this early. Shooting Merry a glare, Zelda sat on the seat beside Burton. She managed to analyze Burton a bit for the past hours she's spent with him. He was definitely determined. She remembered seeing him watch all the reapings in interest, trying to take note of them all. Zelda already knew he would be the last person she'd ask to be in an alliance with. If ever they'd even last a day together in the arena, Zelda would probably wake up with all her things gone including the boy himself. She could imagine him leaving a blunt note as well telling her she was an idiot for actually trusting him.

Coincidentally, Burton didn't plan on asking Zelda to be in his alliance either. She'd probably steal away all his sponsors anyway with her looks. He was going to need to look for someone like him, someone who had guts and wasn't afraid to take risks. There was no place for cowards in that arena. He was determined to come out alive.

"How'd you win the games, Roman?" Burton asked as he watched a couple of Avoxes set up the buffet table for dinner.

"_That_ is not important," Roman said gruffly. "What _is_ important is how _you're_ going to win the games. You wont be getting any ideas from how I did it."

"So what do you suggest we do then?" Zelda asked with raised eyebrows.

"Is it possible to take over the Cornucopia before the Careers?" Burton asked, genuinely curious.

Zelda snorted at the question. "Are you _serious_?" she laughed mockingly.

"Well, it's a possibility isn't it?" Burton snapped irately. "No one's ever done it before. If I can get enough people, we'll be able to do it!"

"You've said it yourself, Burton," Roman said in the same uninterested tone. "No one's ever done it before. What makes you think _you_ can?"

"_Ouch_," Zelda snickered.

"Suit yourselves," Burton murmured. "If I get to beat off all those Careers, you'll be worshiping the ground I walk on. Not that you should right now already."

"Aren't _you_ a proud one?" Merry commented with raised eyebrows.

When Burton finally shut up, Zelda spoke up with her own plans when she was finally in the arena.

"I want to join the Careers."

Roman, who was drinking a glass of wine at the time, nearly spat out his drink and coughed violently. As soon as he regained his composure, he gazed up at Zelda in both wonder and disbelief.

"The Careers are made up of District One, Two and Four, Erizelda," he said. "Last time I checked, Eight wasn't part of the list."

"I don't need to be from any of those districts to get in," Zelda said determinedly, flipping her long, artificially curled brown hair behind her shoulder.

Roman blinked. "What, you can woo them with your looks, is that what you're thinking?"

Zelda shrugged. "If that's what it takes–"

"These are the _Careers_ we're talking about, Morrison!" Roman snapped, his fist banging the table. "They don't busy themselves with petty crushes and most certainly _love_. No matter how beautiful you may seem to be, they _will_ _kill_ _you_ once your back is turned!"

"Not if I can prove myself useful," Zelda hissed.

"Dinner is served!" Merry suddenly clapped happily and she and Burton stood to grab plates from the buffet table.

Zelda and Roman remained seated, looking into each other's eyes in fury. Zelda knew what she was doing. She knew she could get in their alliance. She didn't need her mentor's permission to do this.

* * *

_**District Ten**_

_**Colleen Reyna, 16 – Rowen Ember, 18**_

* * *

After the Chariot Rides, Colleen was absolutely exhausted. She excused herself as the others waited in the dining area for dinner. The moment she stepped in her room, she couldn't help but gasp. It could fit her whole family and they would be able to sleep soundly without having to complain about the uncomfortable mattress they have been using for years and never replaced. They did not have to complain about the cold because the duvet was thick enough to keep you warm the whole night.

Still in her costume, Colleen jumped on her bed and marveled at the warmth and comfort it gave her. She also felt a tad guilty that she was here enjoying the privileges of the Capitol and they were all probably starving at this moment. Then again, they weren't about to fight for their lives in three days time. Colleen sighed. She so desperately wanted to be home right now. Emilia was probably bossing everyone around to fix the table and help her and mother to cook the food all for dinner. Austin should have just arrived from work by now and helping Dusty with laying out the plastic plates on the small dining table. At about eight, they would all say grace squished together to have enough space to eat.

A lone tear slid down Colleen's cheek as she thought of her family. This wasn't healthy. She couldn't just keep thinking about them like this. She had to focus on the games and getting out. It was the only way she could get back to them. Thinking of them like this would not magically bring her back home. There was suddenly a knock on the door.

"Dinner is ready, Colleen!" her escort Tala Kaine called.

"I'll be out in a while!" Colleen said, sitting up and hastily wiping her tears. She decided to take a nice bath before dinner. She figured it would take her mind off of things.

Meanwhile outside in the dining area, Rowen sat by the dining table with his mentor. Colleen and him were sharing one mentor this year. District Ten's first victor committed suicide a couple years back. He left the arena practically insane. Rowen promised himself he would never come out like that. He had to return to his family the way he was when he left them. In the back of his head though, he knew once he stepped in the Hunger Games he would never be the same again.

"How is your family, Rowen?" District Ten's only victor Kia Havens asked, her electric blue eyes piercing into his green ones. Her eyes tended to stand out against her dark skin and hair. Just by the intensity of her stare, Rowen already felt intimidated.

"They're all right," Rowen replied softly, staring down at his plate as he picked on his food.

"What do you plan on doing to see them again?"

"I have no idea," Rowen admitted.

"Well, you've got to have an idea, Rowen!" Kia said. "If you still don't know how you're going to survive in these games then–"

"I'm trying to think, Kia," Rowen snapped, burying his head in his hands. "I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to face twenty-three tributes and become a victor. Everything just isn't working! Joining the Careers is out of the options–"

"Why not the Careers?" Kia asked. "I won by joining them."

Rowen hesitated, but eventually he just shook his head. "It's wrong, Kia. Joining them would go against everything I stand for. Unlike then, I'm planning to win because of a pretty good reason; not because I want glory for my district or any of that Career bullshit."

"Judging the Careers that way isn't going to get you anywhere," Kia warned him. "These Careers have families back home too. You'll never know; maybe one of them is fighting for his or her family as well."

"I know, I know," Rowen murmured suddenly feeling very guilty. "I shouldn't have said that."

Kia sighed and at that moment, Colleen entered the dining area in jeans and a plain blue shirt. Her bright blonde hair was still wet and her red eyes gave away the fact that she must have been crying. Rowen softened at the sight of her. He still couldn't believe that if he were to go home, she wouldn't be with him anymore. He wished there was a way for both of them to come out of the arena alive.

Colleen sat down beside Rowen even offering him a small smile. She turned her attention to Kia who she had never met before. She's seen her before though. It wasn't during the reaping either. She and Rowen must have known each other before. She overheard their conversation and it sounded like they were old friends. Maybe she would ask Rowen about that in the future.

"Well, tomorrow both of you will be going down to the Training Center to start your three-day training before the games," Kia said as she cut her steak. "I suggest you pick up whatever you think you can handle and practice with it."

"What about alliances?" Colleen asked softly. Immediately, all three heads (including the district escort who didn't really pay much attention to the conversation until now) turned to her. Colleen could feel her cheeks heating up and immediately put her head down, uncomfortable with the sudden attention on her.

"I don't think alliances should be a problem with you both," Kia said with a small smile. "Again, just do whatever you can. Try not to show what you're really best at though. Leave that to the games." She winked at Colleen and Colleen's blue eyes widened in shock.

* * *

_**District Eleven**_

_**Olivia Thorne, 15 – Hunter Vale, 17**_

* * *

Right after dinner, Olivia locked herself in her room until everyone was finally asleep. She discovered something on her way up to the eleventh floor. There was an extra floor above the button of the twelfth floor. It couldn't possibly be for District Thirteen. What could it be up there?

When she finally saw the lights in the hallway dim, Olivia silently stepped out of her room and into the darkness. With quick steps, she made her way down the hallway and to the elevator. She pressed her thumb on the button and she heard the elevator rise from the ground floor. When the doors finally opened, she stepped in and waited for the doors to automatically close.

Before the doors closed though, Olivia's district partner came out of the kitchen with a glass of water and spotted her in the elevator. His brown eyes enlarged at the sight of her and she had no choice but to hold the button in the elevator to keep it open.

"It's not what you think!" Olivia said in a whisper that was loud enough for him to hear her. "It's practically suicide to try and leave this place… Though wouldn't that be better than going in the games? Wait, I'm getting out of topic. I was just going to check what's in floor thirteen. Want to come?"

Olivia's district partner simply gazed at her, not replying.

"Well, if you don't want to…"

"Wait, no, yeah," he suddenly spoke, catching Olivia off-guard. "Yeah, I'll come."

Olivia smiled and he stepped in the elevator with her. She pressed the button for the thirteenth floor and the doors finally closed. The two did not speak the whole ride and Olivia was thankful for the fact that the thirteenth floor wasn't too far from the eleventh. When the elevator finally slowed and the doors opened, it revealed a beautiful roof with a stunning view of the Capitol at night. The sky was cloudless and filled with dazzling stars. It was even a full moon.

A few days ago, Olivia would only dream to see a view like this. The best view she can get from her house is the extension of the slums of District Eleven. She would have rather spent this moment with the rest of her family, but her district partner didn't seem so bad. He was quiet and seemed like he was in his own world which was perfectly fine with Olivia.

Feeling giddy, the fifteen year-old sat by the edge of the roof, taking in the beautiful sight. Surprisingly, her district partner sat beside her though not too close which she appreciated. It was weird even because she did not even know his name yet. Feeling ashamed, she turned to him with an innocent smile on her face.

"My name is Olivia," she said. "What's yours?"

"Hunter," he said quietly, his voice cracking as if it has been a while since he last used it.

"Beautiful view, isn't it?" she asked as she stared at the skyline with round eyes.

She saw Hunter shrug from the corner of her eye.

"Oh, lighten up," Olivia chuckled. "You're always so serious. No wonder I never actually talked to you before. It's kind of scary if you asked me."

To her surprise, Hunter briefly smiled at her remark.

"Still nothing?" she turned to him with raised eyebrows, expecting him to speak.

Again, his reply was a shrug, which caused her to roll her eyes.

Usually Hunter wouldn't even mind people if they talked to him so suddenly, but he couldn't help but give her a shrug at least and briefly, even a smile. The resemblance of this little girl and his sister was quite unexpected. They both had long brown hair. They both had light hazel eyes. It was almost as if Garnet returned to him in a form of another person. Maybe it was just his head messing with him. Just because she was a little girl, didn't mean she was Garnet. One thing he was definitely sure of though was the fact that in any situation possible, Hunter would not be able to kill her himself.

If he wanted to live, somebody else would have to. But did Hunter really want to go home? All he had left there was his grandmother. There was nobody else back home for him. How did death even feel like? It would obviously hurt. He was going in the Hunger Games. What kind of death _wouldn't_ hurt when he's in there?

"So why did you go with me up here?" Olivia suddenly asked.

Hunter stayed silent for a while and Olivia even opened her mouth to speak again, not expecting him to reply.

"I couldn't sleep," Hunter said before the fifteen year-old could say anything. "Might as well stay up here instead of down there."

"Ever since we got on the elevator after the parade, I've always thought of going up here after everyone's slept," Olivia continued the conversation. "I don't think I'd be able to sleep either if I suddenly decided not to come up."

"What are you going to do in training tomorrow?" Hunter asked, surprised that he even cared to ask that question.

"Probably just stay in the plants station the whole time," she replied with a small chuckle. "It's the only thing I can do anyway; name plants, I mean. _Real_ useful…"

"You'll be able to survive longer than half of the tributes here with that kind of knowledge. Don't degrade yourself because that's the only thing you know."

Olivia smiled at him. She was glad he went up here with her. Having only older sisters and being the guardian of her three little brothers, she's never actually felt how it was like to have an older brother. It was sad though because she _needed_ to return to her family. He would have to die.

* * *

_**District Twelve**_

_**Rose Adams, 14 – Zach Quince, 14**_

* * *

It was unusual for Zach Quince to wake up before everyone else did. At home he would usually wake up when Matt was done with work. That would be a little past twelve in the afternoon. Today though, Zach opened his eyes and the sun was not fully out yet. The moon was still out as the sun slowly rose. For a few minutes, he desperately wanted to fall back to sleep but nothing seemed to work. Finally giving up, Zach dressed up for the day. He saw that his stylist had readied him an outfit for training. After taking a nice long shower and brushing his teeth, he put the clothes on and debated with himself if he should step out of the room or stay until he was positive that there was someone else awake.

Suddenly, he heard a door (probably the door in front of his own on the other wall of the hallway) open. He heard someone's footsteps pass his door and he was one hundred percent sure that it was his district partner. He hated to admit it but ever since the reaping, he has been avoiding her. It always made him feel guilty because the girl volunteered and saved his sister from competing. Something about her just intimidated him a lot. She didn't look like someone who was very friendly either.

When the sun was fully raised and he could hear a faint chatter from the dining area, Zach figured it would be safe to come out now. As soon as he stepped out of his room, he could hear the conversation quite clearly. He could hear the first victor of the District Twelve telling a story during his time in the games. He was probably talking to Rose. Taking a deep breath, he finally showed himself to the two. He took unusually slow as he made his way towards the dining table, passing Rose on the way and eventually taking a seat on the chair in front of his district partner and beside the victor.

Darwin Cashton, District Twelve's first victor, stopped his story telling and turned to Zach. He was in his late twenties probably. His hair was bright red and his azure eyes shined with happiness that was quite odd for a victor. Victors always looked so gaunt and sad to Zach. Perhaps Darwin regained his old personality back after being in the arena.

"Hello," Zach said awkwardly as Darwin continued to just stare at him, Rose doing the same. "Er… So are you the mentor for both of us? What about the guy who won two years ago?"

"Haymitch Abernathy won't be available as a mentor this year," Darwin said. "He's decided to pass on this one."

"Isn't he the drunk?" Rose mumbled with a dark chuckle.

Darwin didn't answer as he continued to eat his meal. Zach stood up to get his own plate and fill it with the breakfast foods set on the buffet table.

"First day of training today!" Darwin said cheerily. "So let's discuss your strengths shall we?"

"Don't have any," Rose said in a mere whisper. Darwin nearly didn't catch what she said.

"Preposterous!" Darwin boomed with a laugh. The sudden shout made Rose jump and Zach wince. "I'm sure you're both good at something."

Rose was always irritated, but something about Darwin irritated her even more. She wasn't even sure if she should tell him what she could do with a bow and arrow. He _was_ her mentor after all. He had to know. Rose was scared though. What if he'd tell on her? What if he asked how she knew how? Then again, what would be a worse punishment than getting thrown into the Hunger Games?

Strangely, Rose saw Zach smirk from the corner of her eye as he loaded his plate with breakfast foods. Medea the escort showed up from the left hallway even and joined him sleepily by the food. Bizarrely, this seemed to excite Zach even more.

"Come on, Rose," Darwin pressed on. "I'm sure you've got a secret talent in there somewhere."

Sighing, Rose finally gave in. "I can use a bow and arrow."

Darwin's eyebrows shot up as if he wasn't expecting it. "Really now?"

Silently, Rose nodded as she stared down at her breakfast plate. Thankfully, Darwin didn't ask her any questions as he focused on Zach.

"What about you, pretty boy?" he asked with one eyebrow raised at Zach who still stood by the buffet table with his plate of food.

The handsome boy shrugged with a tiny smirk on his face. He walked towards the table and placed his plate down by his seat. He did not sit down though. Rose watched him with interest, wondering what exactly he was up to. He then started to put things out of his pockets. First was a trio of lipsticks, and then he reached into his right pocket where he pulled out what looked like a rather expensive cellphone and even a golden watch. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a makeshift slingshot that looked relatively familiar to Rose.

Gasping, Rose reached down to her sock and realized the slingshot she had made out of boredom last night using a couple of useless things she found in her room was gone. Zach smirked knowingly at her and Darwin was even checking his pockets and feeling his wrist. Medea, who was sleepily making her way back from the buffet to the dining table, spotted the three lipsticks on the table.

"Hey, those are mine!" she said irritably, quickly snatching them and placing them back in the pocket of her dress.

Just as Medea sat on her place by the table with a scowl on her face, Darwin and Rose stared up at Zach in awe.

"See you guys in training!" Zach said cheerily as he exited the dining area, his plate of food that took so unusually long for him to get forgotten.

* * *

**I'm so excited for the next chapter because it's day one of training whoopee! I absolutely love the idea of everyone training and interacting with each other so if I get my hands on this computer for a whole day again, I'm pretty sure I'll be updating pretty quickly.**

**What did you guys think of this chapter? Please tell me what you think in a review! They help loads! :)**

**Poll is still up! I'm leaving it up until the games start. Thanks for reading! Remember, you've got to review! I think half of authors who submitted a character don't even tell me if I'm doing it right with their characters or not... If I'm doing something wrong with your character, please tell me! I've had this incident with one of you and I think I've improved on her character as she said i finally did it right in the last chapter so it really helps guys!**

**~jess**


	16. Training Day 1

_**Two: **__Ares Hammersmith, 18_

* * *

As soon as the Head Trainer let the tributes off to explore the underground Training Center, Ares was ecstatic. He felt the smirk on his face grow and he immediately strutted to the weapons area. He was well aware of Kellisa following him and he even turned to look back at her, telling her to walk faster. He caught her rolling her eyes at him but she picked up her pace and walked alongside him towards the weapons rack.

They were the first ones there. His district partner just stood there, staring at something or maybe someone. Not acknowledging his district partner at all, Ares reached for a pair of swords, his grip firm as he held both. The swords were identical to the core. Both hilts were jet-black and Ares was able to have a secure grasp on both. The blades were thin and deadly sharp.

"I suppose it's satisfactory," Ares murmured as he measured the weight of both swords with his hands, his eyes narrowed at the blades.

"Satisfactory?" Kellisa said in disbelief. "Those swords look like they can cut through tree trunks."

Smirking, Ares swung his right sword at the nearest mannequin and it was beheaded it with a clean cut. Feeling the adrenaline, Ares continued to work his magic on the mannequin, swinging his swords in the fastest way possible until the mannequin was completely beaten with its head and both its arms gone and with several deep cuts around it. He spun around and was expecting Kellisa to look at least the tiniest bit impressed but her attention was elsewhere, watching the tributes of District One approach them. Feeling irritated at the lack of attention from the girl, Ares opened his mouth to speak but the tributes from One got there before any word came out of this mouth.

"You're pretty handy with those beauties, aren't you?" the girl said, her brown hair tied up in a high ponytail and her heavy-lidded piercing eyes scrutinizing her competitors most especially Ares as he was the only one who showed his skills in weaponry.

"I hate to brag but yeah, pretty much," Ares said arrogantly.

The girl from One raised both her eyebrows and walked over to the rack of swords Ares stood by. A crease formed in between Ares' thick eyebrows as he watched her eyes skim through each sword one by one. Finally, she reached for an old-fashioned broadsword with a golden basket hilt and a thin shiny blade.

"You willing to spar, Blondie?" she challenged.

Smiling devilishly, Ares raised both his swords.

"Guys, this isn't a good idea," Kellisa interrupted, her eyes darting from the gamemakers who just arrived to watch and the trainers who were helping the other tributes with their stations.

"We're just sparring, Kellisa. No one's going to care," Ares said with a snort, his eyes narrowing at the girl from One.

"Ares, we're going to get in trouble," Kellisa snapped, grabbing his shoulder to pull him away.

"Sapphire, don't do this," the boy from One suddenly spoke up, disapprovingly looking from his district partner to Ares. Sadly, he was simply ignored by the brunette.

"_Fine_, do whatever you want," he snapped. "Just don't get yourself killed before the games. That would be unfortunate." He rolled his eyes and stalked off to the throwing knives.

"No one's watching, Two," Sapphire said with a grin. "Come on."

"She's just provoking you, Ares!" Kellisa said getting impatient. "She wants you to get in trouble!"

"Kellisa, shut up!"

A flicker of hurt flashed before her eyes before finally glaring furiously at her district partner and stalking off to join the boy from One by the knives. Ares felt a wave of guilt wash over him but it was gone as quickly as it came when his icy blue eyes met Sapphire's bronze ones.

"_Game time_," Ares mumbled before lunging at the girl with his swords.

* * *

_**Four: **__Reif Larken, 18_

* * *

As Reif stood beside his district partner Terra, he couldn't help but laugh at the two idiotic tributes from Two and One sparring in the middle of the Training Center.

"We're seriously going to ally with these idiots?" he asked Terra who was watching the fight in interest.

"You've got to admit they at least have _some_ talent with the swords," Terra said with a shrug.

It didn't take too long for the two to spar because the trainers noticed the commotion and abandoned their assigned station to break the two tributes up. The brute from Two seemed pretty determined to slice the girl from One's head off. The girl backed off when the trainers came but the boy struggled to continue fighting.

"Come on! Stop ruining our fun!" Ares said with a manic laugh as he struggled against the many trainers.

The fight seemed to have gotten the attention of all the tributes in the Training Center, also the gamemakers. Reif watched the Head walk down from their platform and approach the Careers in battle. He also noticed how he turned back to call for another gamemaker, this time a girl. She was petite with curly obviously artificial red hair. She timidly walked down the stairs from the platform and followed her boss.

"I never thought gamemakers would actually want to stop a fight," Terra snickered beside him. "They would usually root for one."

"Perhaps these gamemakers have some brains," Reif drawled.

Terra shot him a look. He shrugged.

"They can't send in dead tributes into the Hunger Games," he pointed out with a roll of his eyes.

The two from Four watched as the two gamemakers finally reached the boy from One.

"Can't hear a single thing from here," Terra grumbled. "Let's get closer."

With a shrug, Reif followed her as they both approached the scene. They two noticed the partners of the Careers in battle watching the events unfold in front of them. In Reif's eyes, they looked like they didn't really give a damn. As their fellow Careers, Reif and Terra stood by them and they immediately acknowledged the two.

"You the two from Four?" the boy from One asked with raised eyebrows.

Terra nodded and held out her hand. "I'm Terra. He's Reif."

She and the boy from One shook hands as the girl from Two watched them interact as she bit her lip.

"You're Kellisa, right?" the boy from One quietly asked the girl. She sent him a glare but nodded. "Yeah, she's Kellisa. I'm Necali. It appears that we've just completed our alliance then."

Reif turned his gaze away from the interacting fellow Careers and watched the scene of the boy from Two. The gamemakers were already there, the Head looking particularly furious. Terra was right. These gamemakers were quite odd. Usually they would sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Reif's never heard of gamemakers _actually_ stopping a fight.

"What do you think you're both doing?" the Head Gamemaker hissed at the two tributes.

He was just as tall as the boy from Two, but he was able to look down at the girl from One in disgust.

"I'm sorry," the girl said silkily, her eyes feigning innocence and her grip on the sword slackening. "He just suddenly pounced on me! I had no choice but to defend myself."

"You _liar_!" the boy from Two boomed, rage evident in his icy eyes. He proceeded to lunge at her again but a bulky trainer held him back.

Reif couldn't help but let a smirk grow on his face as he watched the fun. The boy from Two definitely needed to get his temper in check. Sure, Reif didn't have that good of a temper either but he was definitely smart enough not to have fights during training. He would show them all his skills in the arena. The fact that he was a Career was intimidating enough to the other tributes.

It was also very unfortunate for the boy from Two to show his anger to the rest. If there were anyone clever enough to use this to his or her advantage, the boy would be in big trouble. Reif wouldn't mind either if he died early in the games. That would be one Career tribute down. He just needed to face four more by the end of the games.

While Reif pondered on this thought, he also noticed the boy from One (Necali, was it?) watching the shouting match with interest. Reif has seen the connection of the tributes from One a long time ago. He figured they were friends back home. Suddenly, Necali sighed in irritation and snatched a random knife from the wall of throwing knives he stood beside.

"Let's just get this over with and stop this mess," he said under his breath as he swung his right arm and the knife hurtled towards the group.

They all immediately scattered, the trainers, tributes and Head Gamemaker showing their agility and stealth. Unfortunately, the redhead who followed her boss down to the mess did not quite show the same skills and stayed rooted on her spot, wondering why everyone had suddenly moved away. The knife then grazed her cheek making her fall back just as the knife sunk in a mannequin's heart a few feet away.

* * *

_**Seven**__: Amelie Spaulding, 17_

* * *

Together with the rest of the tributes in the Training Center, Amelie gasped as she watched the gamemaker fall on her backside. The knife sunk in a mannequin with a loud thud echoing in the deadly silent room. Amelie stood by the obstacle course where she was impatiently waiting for her turn before the whole knife fiasco. Now, everyone stared at the Career tributes with open mouths and wide eyes. Amelie herself was shocked at the actions of the Career who threw the knife. She's never actually heard of any tribute attacking the gamemakers in any way.

Amelie's eyes narrowed at the Head Gamemaker, looking for a reaction. His crystal eyes were wide but Amelie couldn't see any emotion in them. He was biting his lower lip as he continued to stare blankly at the four Careers who stood by the knives. Even Amelie did not know who threw it, but she had to admit whoever did had some pure backbone to them.

"Can the Career get a death sentence for that?" the girl beside Amelie said in a bitter tone under her breath. She obviously didn't mean for Amelie to hear her, but she wasn't speaking inaudibly either.

"Which Career?" Amelie immediately asked, desperately wanting to find out who threw the knife. She needed to know about these Careers as much as possible. If the Career who threw the knife were clever enough, he or she wouldn't be flaunting his or her skills with throwing knives in order to keep his or her profile low. Obviously, no one but the girl beside Amelie spotted the knife thrower. The mystery of who threw the knife would be a popular topic between the tributes. It made the Career Tributes look twice as frightening. Which one of them actually had the guts to throw a knife at a gamemaker?

Unfortunately for Amelie, the girl beside her was smart enough to hold this information at her advantage. She knew who to watch out for in the arena and it irritated Amelie to the core. The girl merely gave her a sly smile and stalked away, her blonde hair wispy and eyes cold. Amelie narrowed her eyes at the girl and she tried to remember which district she was from exactly. She vaguely looked familiar.

After swearing she would be keeping tabs on this blonde during the next few days, Amelie turned her attention back on the debacle of the knife and saw that one of the trainers was leading the redheaded gamemaker out of the room, her cheek still bleeding profusely. The Head Gamemaker was walking back to the platform where three more gamemakers sat with disappointed faces; probably disappointed at the fact that the fight was over.

The Careers were all grouped together once again. The boy from Two still had a scowl on his face as he sliced and slashed his twin swords on the mannequin area. The girl from One was in another area of mannequins and she constantly sent devilish grins at the boy which deepened the scowl on his face. Amelie promised to herself that she would take all the information on them she could get during training into the arena.

Her eyes darted from the Careers to the hand-to-hand combat station. She so desperately wanted to practice, but she knew she had to save these skills once she was in the arena. She also tried her hardest to set her mind on the Hunger Games, but Callaghan and Elijah would always pop up in her head and would make her feel homesick. It also made her feel weak. But still, she couldn't help it. She would always ask herself what she thought her twin cousins were doing at this time. Then she would push them out of her thoughts and begin to analyze her fellow tributes once again. Problem was, they just kept coming back.

"Excuse me, are you going on or not?"

A trainer's irritated tone snapped Amelie out of her thoughts. Her head whipped around to see the trainer glaring at her. It must be her turn on the obstacle course. Smirking slightly, Amelie stretched her long limbs and let all thoughts about her twin cousins slip away once again.

* * *

_**Twelve: **__Zach Quince, 14_

* * *

It was quite hilarious seeing his District partner and mentor's faces when he left the twelfth floor for training. It disappointed him though that his partner knew his specialty and would be watching out for him. If she made alliances, she'd obviously share the information and soon enough, everyone would know what he could do. He seriously doubted Rose Adams would be making any alliances though. He almost snorted at the thought.

Zach stayed by the survival station for the first half of the day. The Careers practically claimed the weapons station, which highly irritated him. Oddly, none of them lingered by the knives. He saw the whole mess of the two Careers in combat and the thrown knife at the gamemaker. It was also very hard to see who threw it, as there were four Careers right beside the wall of knives and none of them looked as if they threw anything. He thought he'd know who threw it when one of them would pick a knife up and practice, but no one did.

"Trying to figure out who threw it?" a curly-haired boy joined Zach in the knot-tying station. He knelt down beside the boy from Twelve and the trainer immediately approached him, showing him how to make a basic snare.

Zach sighed. "It's kind of hard since none of them are going anywhere near the knives."

"Everyone's trying to figure out the same thing, dude," the boy chuckled as he struggled with his ropes.

"It would be helpful information," Zach mumbled.

"So what _can_ you do, Twelve?" the blonde boy asked, smirking in his direction. "You can't tell me knot-tying is your forte. Honestly, what you're doing right now looks no where near the finished product on display."

"Pretty handy with a knife, I suppose," Zach said abstractedly as his glassy eyes gazed down at his failed snare.

He did not notice the gleam that appeared in the boy's eye.

"Handy with a knife?" he raised his eyebrows.

Zach lifted his head for his azure eyes to meet his. He recognized him as the boy from Eight, but he could not remember his name. He was a bit frightened at the look on his face. His brown eyes were wide and his lips turned up in a small mischievous smile.

"Yeah, I guess…" Zach replied slowly.

Eight's smile grew and he immediately stood up, dragging Zach with him. His hand enclosed tightly around Zach's thin arm and dragged him to the knives. The Careers were either by the mannequins or shooting and throwing at targets. None of them stood near the wall of knives, which resulted to Zach sighing in relief.

"Get one," the boy ordered.

Zach glared at him, not wanting to get ordered around by just anyone.

"Dude, just do it," he said with a roll of his eyes. He whistled over a trainer and Zach blanched.

"I'm not going to fight–"

"Come on, Twelve, have some fun!" Eight said with a manic grin. "You said you could do well with a knife. Why not show everyone that?"

"I don't want to become a target," Zach muttered.

"You won't be the target. People would be watching out for you. You'll be the one targeting because you've got the skill. Well, I hope you do."

Zach bit his lip, his blue eyes darting from the approaching trainer to the wall of knives. Eight _did_ have a point. If he openly showed his skill, people would be watching out for him. He wouldn't be hiding from everyone else. None of the past tributes from Twelve achieved anything from simply hiding. Sighing, Zach picked a short but deadly sharp knife from the wall. It was one of the shortest, but that was his specialty.

The trainer arrived and picked out a longer knife and walked over to the mats. Zach followed him there and they both stared at each other blankly. Back in his District, he had a knife with him at all times. He'd used it like it was an extension of his right arm. He wasn't all that bad with physical combat either, often getting into fights with other kids in his district. There was once a time he grazed a bully's right arm with his knife and the boy started moaning in pain and claimed he was dying. The cut was very shallow but Zach felt the guilt eating him up inside. He never used a knife in combat again. The games were another story though. He would have to fight with his knife whether he liked it or not.

As he pondered on these thoughts, the trainer suddenly lunged with his own knife but Zach was prepared. The confidence he felt in holding a knife once again was a feeling he did not usually get, and it definitely felt good.

* * *

_**Ten: **__Colleen Reyna, 16_

* * *

Colleen could tell many were irritated at the fact that a boy from District Twelve actually knew how to fight (the Careers included). He had earned quite an audience. At least eight pairs of eyes were trained on him the entire time he fought a trainer with a short knife. If Colleen could remember correctly, he was merely a fourteen year-old boy. How in the world did he manage to learn how to wield a knife?

"It's rude to stare, you know," Colleen's district partner whispered to her with a small chuckle.

She swiftly turned to Rowen, her eyes widening and her cheeks burning at the fact that he caught her staring. It wasn't like she was staring because she had a new crush. She was merely observing how he fought and asking herself how exactly he learned to fight like that in a district like his. Still, she couldn't help but blush at the comment.

"You are clearly overreacting," Rowen laughed. "I didn't mean it to sound like you were in love or anything. Anyway, I know about Jesse. He's a good kid."

Colleen smiled at the thought of Jesse. He hasn't exactly crossed her mind nowadays as she's been too busy worrying about her family. Now that Rowen mentioned him, she realized how much she actually missed him.

"Ah, I get that feeling," Rowen said with a sad smile, obviously being able to read Colleen's gloomy features. "I miss my family so much. Ciana is probably running around the house trying to keep the twins in check."

"I just hope my mom is doing okay," Colleen mumbled, not even sure if Rowen could hear her. "You know, with her job and all…"

Colleen wished she never mentioned it because a flash of deadly rage surpassed Rowen's handsome features. The rage was gone as soon as it came though but his eyes were blank.

"My dad is a dick," Rowen said but apologizing for his language as soon as the sentence slipped out. Colleen simply chuckled at his choice of words and could not help but whole-heartedly agree.

"Is there anything you'd like to do, Colleen?" Rowen suddenly asked. "I mean, you can't exactly stay in the plants station the whole three days of training." He gestured to the station of identifying different plants and berries. They were the only two present there and the trainer was encouraging them to stay since nobody else was interested.

Blue eyes suddenly darted towards the camouflage station, which was currently deserted. Rowen did not miss her sudden glance and his eyes brightened.

"I've been wanting to visit that station anyway," he said with a shrug. "You like arts and stuff?"

Colleen bit her lip nervously. She hasn't done anything with paint or drawing for years now. Her history with art was quite traumatic actually. Ever since she discovered her talent with paint, she's been saving up just to buy new ones and would use it all up painting graffiti on abandoned alleyways in the slums of District Ten. She was almost caught once and it was a close call. Her head was so wound up on the fact that if she were caught, she'd be suffering the consequences of vandalism. Ever since that incident, she stayed away from her paints and hid them under her bed so she would never be able to see them again.

"Come on," Rowen said with a small urge to his tone.

He grabbed the sixteen year-old's arm and dragged her to the camouflage station. The trainer immediately stood from his chair and happiness filled his lavender eyes when he finally saw two people interested in his station. He handed Colleen a paintbrush and explained how she would be able to use her hands in the arena but for now, it would be easier and more enjoyable to use a paintbrush. She dipped her paintbrush in a bottle of acrylic paint and stood before a pure white wall. The trainer sent her an encouraging nod and she for the first time in days she fully smiled.

* * *

_**Three: **__Relly Jay, 14_

* * *

Relly watched as one of the Careers, the boy from Two, openly laughed at her district partner's attempts on learning how to wield a sword. He could have chosen the weapon that would suit him more. If Relly imagined Beckham with a weapon, it would be knife just like the boy from Twelve. She desperately wanted to defend Beckham but she would never want the Careers targeting her. When Relly could barely watch the boy from Two taunt her district partner anymore, she decided to turned back and walk in the nearest station. As soon as she stepped in, Relly's jaw dropped and stared wide-eyed at the sight before her.

A blonde with stained clothes and a concentrated expression effortlessly coated a wall with paint with her brush. She painted a thick forest with a bunch of berry-filled bushes and even a few animals like a spotted deer and a pure white bunny. Painted by the left side of the wall was a stream and it extended to another wall where the blonde continued to paint it with a few water lilies and tall grass.

"That's really pretty," Relly said making the girl jump and turn around.

"Thank you," she mumbled, her eyes wide and a smile tugging on her lips.

"I wish I could paint pretty things," Relly sighed, staring at the painted forest in slight envy.

"I haven't done this in so long," the girl said in the same soft, timid voice. "I didn't think it was as good as my last ones back home."

"Can you paint me?" Relly immediately asked, holding out her right arm to her. "I mean, can you make my arm look like it's part of the wilderness?"

The girl briefly smiled and gently took Relly's arm. She put away the paintbrush and dipped her finger in the bottle of green acrylic paint.

"I wont be using paintbrushes in the arena," she murmured. "I guess I should be practicing with just my fingers."

Relly watched in awe as she rubbed her fingers against her skin with the paint. It seemed so natural for her to do this. She was also awfully quiet as she worked. A crease formed in between her eyebrows as she stared down at Relly's arm in concentration. She was so quiet that Relly felt the need to start a conversation with her.

"My name is Relly by the way," she said. "What's yours?"

"Colleen," she replied. It was more of a mumble actually and Relly almost didn't catch that.

"I think you'll go far in the games, Colleen," Relly smiled at her. "With talent like this, you can hide anywhere!"

Colleen smiled back and continued her work on Relly's arm. Relly felt a pang of jealousy for Colleen's talent but she immediately pushed this out of her head. It wasn't Colleen's fault that she was born an artist. The silence this time was comfortable. Relly let her gaze wander outside the camouflage station and back to the weaponry. Beckham was finally gone and the Careers were back to slashing the mannequins and shooting at targets. The same two boys lingered by the knives. The boy from Twelve was having his third round with the trainer after winning the first two. Relly couldn't help but sigh at how he constantly ran his hand through his perfectly styled midnight-black hair and how his blue eyes narrowed in intensity.

"It's rude to stare," Colleen suddenly whispered with a sly smile.

Relly blinked, as she was surprised Colleen broke their comfortable silence. She smiled though and continued to stare.

"But he's such a pretty boy, isn't he?" Relly sighed dreamily.

"I wasn't aware that boys could be pretty," Colleen replied, amused.

"But he _is_ pretty!"

Colleen chuckled. "I have a boyfriend back home. Maybe I would consider him pretty as well."

"A _boyfriend_?" Relly gasped. "I don't think my dad would like it if I ever get a boyfriend."

"You're too young, Relly."

The fourteen year-old pouted. Colleen laughed at her antics.

"Do you think you'll ever see him again? You boyfriend, I mean," Relly asked innocently.

"I hope so," Colleen said quietly, her smile fading and her eyes slowly returning to its blank state.

"I'm sure you will," Relly said with a smile.

Colleen struggled to return her smile but Relly didn't mind. She knew how it felt to leave someone so important back home. Everyone in this room must have known how it felt. Then, Colleen was finished with her arm and Relly stared down at it in awe. Colleen pulled her over to one of the bushes she carefully painted a few moments ago and put her arm over it. Relly gasped at how it blended with the bush so perfectly. At first glance, Relly didn't even notice her arm was there. The younger tribute grinned, happy with making a friend on her first day of training.

* * *

_**Eleven: **__Olivia Thorne, 15_

* * *

As soon as the plants station was finally free, Olivia took this opportunity to visit it. The trainer watched in awe as she named almost every plant correctly, even describing whether they were edible and poisonous or not. She felt as if she was back home in her forest, picking plants to bring back for her family to eat. Of course, that wasn't the case now. She needed this for the survival of herself.

Olivia glanced at the weapons station and she realized the Careers were no longer there. They finally moved on to the other stations such as running and climbing courses. She debated with herself for a while, trying to make a decision whether to try a weapon or stick to what she already knew such as plants and snares. In the end though, she finally decided to at least try holding a knife.

She had to admit she had been watching the boy from Twelve in awe just a while ago as he dueled with a trainer using a short knife. It was so rare for someone from that district to show some talent with weaponry. She did not notice much of the girl from Twelve. In fact, she did not see the girl from Twelve even try to use a weapon. She usually noticed the blonde just standing there and watching everyone else. It was quite odd actually.

Olivia saw how many tributes from the outer districts took the opportunity to practice with weapons while the Careers were gone. She briskly walked towards the wall of knives on display. She snatched up a random knife and looked into the blade that displayed her reflection. Without warning, a sudden memory flashed before her eyes. A knife thrown by a surviving Career sunk in Sheila Poppy's chest and she fell back on the cold ground, her eyes blank and breathing gone.

The knife Olivia held slipped through her fingers and fell on the ground with a series of _clangs_. She closed her eyes, trying to push all the sudden memories away. She needed to forget. Remembering wasn't going to help her at all in the arena. She was going to win. She could not end up like Sheila. Sheila was history. Olivia refused to be part of the past. She was going to have a future of her own and the Capitol was not going to take that away from her.

"_Hey_!" someone whispered urgently behind her.

A bit alarmed, Olivia slowly turned her head, her eyes wide. She was surprised to see a young woman with blood red curls and big eyes that resembled the color of steel. She recognized the girl to be one of the gamemakers. She was the one who was hit by a knife by an unknown Career. She must have already returned after being escorted out by a trainer. Her cheek had a horizontal scar extending from the right side of her nose to the left of her right ear.

The woman gestured for Olivia to come closer. She was hiding behind a thick pole, her ashen eyes darting from Olivia to the other gamemakers who were laughing over something one of them had just said. Curiously, Olivia walked over to her. The woman then grabbed her arm and dragged her to a deserted corner where they wouldn't be disturbed.

"Did you see who did this to me?" the gamemaker immediately demanded as she heatedly pointed at the scar on her cheek.

Frightened, Olivia immediately shook her head.

"Whom do you think would know?" she asked in the same tone.

"I– I guess the other Careers," Olivia stuttered apprehensively.

"Well, I know that," the gamemaker snapped in irritation though Olivia knew it wasn't because of her.

The hit of the knife must have pissed her off. Olivia actually felt a bit sorry for the Career who threw the knife at her. She was a gamemaker therefore she would have a say in what they'd be throwing in the arena (e.g. mutts) and who'll be targeted.

"I'm sorry. I've been rude," she suddenly said in a kinder tone. "My name is Desiree. I'm new here. It's my first year and no one's ever told me tributes here could chuck knives at anyone they wanted." The bitter tone was back although Olivia found it quite humorous.

"I don't think they're actually allowed to do that," Olivia said with a small chuckle.

"Damn _Franco Creswell_," Desiree muttered infuriatedly before turning her attention back to the brunette. "The Career didn't get punished in any way, right?"

Olivia nodded her head and this aggravated Desiree even more as she sent hateful glares at her boss who was currently watching each tribute with seeming interest.

"Maybe the Career expected you to move aside just like the rest of them," Olivia said with a shrug.

"I'm not like them," Desiree shook her head. "They were trained to know when to dodge attacks and such. I wasn't. What do you even expect from a Capitol girl? Then again, what are you to expect from a Capitol boy?"

A crease formed in between Olivia's eyebrows as she listened to Desiree.

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked curiously.

Desiree's eyes darted from Olivia's inquiring hazel eyes to the Head Gamemaker sitting on the platform.

"Don't you notice how he's a bit odd for a gamemaker?" Desiree said in a low whisper. "I mean he stopped a fight a while ago which I _know_ gamemakers love to watch for their entertainment. Also with the knife incident, it seemed as if he were part of the trainers. I saw the look in his eyes. It was as if something triggered in him. I don't know; this all sounds really silly but it just seems really odd. Gamemakers aren't trained to fight. They're trained to be… well, gamemakers! Gamemakers don't need to fight anyone. They simply watch the fight. It doesn't make sense for Franco to seem so… unlike a gamemaker should be. Look at him now! He's _actually_ watching the tributes. The rest are just drinking from their wine glasses and getting drunk. Don't you find it strange?"

In fact, Olivia did find it quite strange. Still, it didn't change the fact that Franco Creswell scared her to death. Both she and Desiree gazed curiously at Franco as he continued to watch the tributes. Suddenly, it was like he sensed the lingering stare of the two girls and his chilly cobalt eyes changed the direction of their glare. His eyes pierced into Olivia's and they darted from Desiree's to hers. The fifteen year-old immediately looked away but Desiree continued to stare. Her eyes narrowed at her boss and she finally looked away, turning her attention back to Olivia.

"I guess I'd better return to the platform," she said, offering Olivia a small smile. "They've been waiting for me since this morning."

Olivia watched the gamemaker walk back to her fellow colleagues. Franco Creswell's piercing stare followed her as she approached. It was as if he knew she suspected something of him and he didn't like it. Olivia involuntarily shivered and eventually walked back to the plants station.

* * *

**Training Day 1! Such a fun chapter to type in. I hope you guys liked it. Whether you did or not, please tell me so I know what you liked and what i should improve on! Sadly, I share my laptop with my brother so I can't use it everyday. I hope this was a fast enough update for you guys though. Also, the format for the training chapters will be a one portion for each tribute in their POV. There will be eight tributes in the next chapter and Day 3 will only have 4 tributes because the rest will be the impressing the gamemakers with their skills and training scores. POVs of the tributes will be somewhat random. :)**

**Poll is still up until the games start! If you haven't voted yet, please do! And don't vote for your own tributes please. I also think I've decided on the victor although my decision can still change.**

**Tell me what you thought of this chapter! They motivate me loads. Thank you!**

**~jess**


	17. Training Day 2

_**Eight: **__Erizelda Morrison, 17_

* * *

As soon as Zelda stepped into the elevator with her district partner, she could not help but let an unattractive scowl appear on her delicate features. Burton was too busy boasting about his new ally to even pay attention on the obvious discontentment on her face. For Zelda, it seemed like a thousand years passed before the elevator doors finally opened to release them into the Training Center. As soon as the doors separated, Zelda bolted into the room and left Burton in mid-sentence.

The first group she noticed when she walked in was the Career alliance. Honestly, she did not pluck up the courage to talk to them yet. Sure, she's caught the boy from Two checking her out from time to time but finding her attractive was not enough for him to suggest to his other allies to let her in. She had to show them that she could be useful to them. But what could she even do? She had no experience whatsoever with weapons like they did.

Her eyes scanned the whole wall of weapons free for anyone to use. Thankfully, the Careers were gathered near the obstacle course, their heads close in discussion. Zelda's eyes scanned the variety of throwing knives provided. It wouldn't hurt to try throwing one or two. Perhaps she was actually good at it. But what if she wasn't? Could she risk embarrassing herself in front of all the tributes, including the group she wished to be her future allies?

Finally, Zelda made her decision and made her way to the knives. She picked a random throwing knife and stood many feet away from a mannequin. She figured target boards would be harder and would make her look weaker if she did not get the bull's eye. With mannequins, even if the knife did not sink in the place she wanted, it would still sink in somewhere in the dummy. If she were lucky, maybe even a more lethal place than she aimed for. Unless, of course, the knife did not sink in anywhere and she was worse than she expected with throwing knives.

Taking in a deep breath, she tried to find a way to remember how the other knife-wielders threw a knife. She tried to remember the tributes of the past Hunger Games. She could not remember how the Careers now did it because none of them made an effort to practice with the knives, despite the fact that it was clear that one of them was skilled with them. Honestly, Zelda did not get why they had to hide their skill with it. Did they not think the tributes from the outer districts were intimidated enough?

Apparently no, they obviously did not think that.

With a slight scowl, Zelda whipped her arm forward to throw the knife with all her might. It soared through the air and sunk in the mannequin. She aimed for the heart, but it sunk in the mannequin's thigh instead. She growled at how far her aim was off. Her scowl deepened when she realized only about half of the knife's blade was stuck in the mannequin.

"I don't even know where to begin in the list of wrong things you did in taking and throwing that knife."

Jumping slightly and her heart skipping a beat in surprise, Zelda whirled around to face the intruder. Her golden brown eyes met a pair of dark, menacing green ones. The boy was not particularly unattractive. In Zelda's opinion, he was quite good-looking with thin dark golden strands for hair and lean figure. His green eyes were obviously judging the way she threw the knives and she immediately felt conscious about herself.

"This is my first time," she mumbled in embarrassment, glaring fiercely at the floor. "You can't expect me to get it in the first try."

"I got it on my first try," the boy said with a shrug, his eyes boring into hers.

"Yeah, that's because you train," she snapped.

Then, Zelda seemed to return to her senses. She recognized this boy; yes, she did. He was from One which automatically made her think he trained back home. A Career was talking to her. This did not sink in Zelda's head too fast either.

A _Career_ was talking to her.

Naturally, Zelda let a flirtatious and sly smile light up her flawless face and twirled a part of hair around her finger.

"Could you help me try to get it right?" she asked with a slight pout, her eyes widening with plea. "I guess I just need someone strong and talented to help me." Her voice was filled with flattery and fake helplessness.

"No," the boy said simply, his tone bored and uninterested despite Zelda's advances.

Zelda's eyes widened at the rejection and her confidence faltered. She quickly composed herself though and let her hand snake up his arm, letting her fingers linger for more than a second.

"Are you sure?" she purred. "We could have some _real_ fun."

With a sigh, the boy took her wrist and yanked her hand away from his arm.

"I only came here to tell you the knife you used was not a throwing knife which would explain the reason why it ended up several body parts away from your actual target. Knives and throwing knives have _huge_ differences. Perhaps you should open your eyes and see that that there are also labels above the group of knives, so you don't need to be a genius to get that."

Smirking slightly, the boy from One walked back to his alliance, leaving Zelda staring after him with her mouth open looking like an idiot. Another angry scowl appeared on her face. She would try her chances on the boy from Two instead. He _was_ the one checking her out. Basing it on observation, Zelda could conclude that he had the biggest say on whatever happened in the Career alliance even if the girl from Four did not look particularly happy with this arrangement.

Zelda would show him. She would get in the alliance whether _he_ wanted her to or not.

* * *

_**Five: **__Langston Calder, 15_

* * *

"How do people even do this?" Langston muttered to himself as he stared down at the failed snare in his hands as he desperately tried to fix it.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Drew said with a roll of her eyes. "It's easy! See, I can do it in less than three minutes. Honestly, that looks like a load of crap."

Langston frowned at her words. "Easy for you to say," he mumbled. "You perfected the snare during the first day."

Drew sighed dramatically and put her snare down, hopping up to her feet.

"Come on, Langston," Drew said with a grin.

"Where are we going?" he asked quietly with a slight sulk.

"To your spears!"

Langston paled as his flitted towards the weapons area. The Careers were not there. They were trying out hand-to-hand combat in the other side of the room. In fact, nobody except a blonde stood there. She was quite small, probably younger than him. Her fingers cautiously stroked the smooth metal of one of the bows. Her other hand was twitching to take one of the arrows. Langston watched as she stole another glance towards the Careers who were too busy cheering for their fellow ally (Terra, the girl from Four, was it?) as she nearly knocked out the trainer with her fists. The blonde finally took the bow when she was convinced that nobody from _that_ alliance was watching.

"Langston, what are you–"

He shushed her as he continued to watch the blonde girl, very curious as to what her skill with the bow and arrow was. She picked one arrow and drew the string back with it. With a perfect stance, she aimed at a target board. Smirking slightly, she let the string go and the arrow whizzed through the air and sunk in the board, about two centimeters away from the bull's eye. Langston could see how much this irritated her as a scowl quickly formed on her face.

"Drew, want to ask her in the alliance?" Langston suddenly asked, truly impressed by her skills with the weapon.

Drew seemed to be watching her as well, but she did not look fascinated by the girl's talent one bit. Her eyebrows furrowed as her eyes narrowed.

"She doesn't look too nice," Drew said. "She looks like she's about to eat the weapon up instead of using it."

Langston shrugged, secretly agreeing with her. The blonde's eyes were glaring fiercely at the bow she held before sighing and taking another arrow to shoot.

"We have to at least try," Langston said. "I mean we could use her talent."

"I suppose…" Drew said, her voice trailing off as she was deep in thought as she stared at the rack of swords beside the archery station.

The fifteen year-old boy frowned at his district partner. Drew's sudden concentration surprised him. Then, a laugh escaped her lips.

"Look, I can see my face from here!" she exclaimed happily as she made funny faces at the swords as if they were mirrors. It looked like there were a dozen other Drew's making the same face back at her.

Langston chuckled. "I'm going to go try talk to her, okay?"

"Oh, I want to come!" Drew said, running after him and out of the knot-tying station.

The tributes of Five approached the blonde archer. She seemed to have noticed them walking towards her because a look of panic replaced her scowl and immediately put the bow down. Before she could leave though, Langston and Drew already arrived.

"Hi, I'm Langston and you're pretty good with the bow and arrow so–"

Before Langston could even finish speaking, the blonde sent him a filthy glare and briskly walked away to another station.

"Hey, where's she going?" Drew asked sounding fully confused.

"I didn't even say a whole sentence to her yet," Langston grumbled in slight irritation.

"Let's just hope she dies before we do then."

Langston chortled at his district partner's bluntness.

* * *

_**Twelve: **__Rose Adams, 14_

* * *

Rose could not risk getting into alliances with anyone. Alliances would only lead to backstabbing and mistrust. In the Hunger Games, the tributes had to know that they could not trust anyone. Rose almost felt sorry for them; getting themselves attached to other people they would have to fight in the arena. She had to admit though; she thought about asking Zach to be stay with her in the arena for maybe the first half of the games. They would survive together. Rose would not have to worry about how lonely it would be to work alone and face the arena on her own.

Zach started to show off during the first day though. Rose could never risk being allies with him when he was definitely a target. She did not think he'd like being her ally either. She had seen him and the curly-haired boy from Eight. Rose almost rolled his eyes at his stupidity. What was the use of all these alliances anyway? They were no use at all. It all came down to one tribute anyway. Even if Rose had literally no one to go back to in Twelve, she knew being a victor would be an achievement above all. She did not fancy the thought of dying either.

Rose stayed by the fire-making station though she was not making much of an effort to make her own fire. She absentmindedly watched the tributes from Five try out a few weapons. The boy seemed to be pretty handy with a couple of spears and javelins. The girl simply watched, her mouth never closing and a small smile never leaving her lips. Rose rolled her eyes at them. How could they act so at ease and happy when the games were only a few days away?

"I don't know if the wood did anything to upset you, but you look like they hit you in the head while your back was turned."

Rose immediately turned away from glaring at the pair from Five and dropped the wood she was supposed to be making fire with. She stared up at Zach Quince in shock, her heart beating faster and her mouth slightly open.

"You look better without the scowl on your face all the time," Zach said without much of a smile. His face was completely blank as he stood before her.

Rose was still kneeling down, too shocked to stand up and face him in full height. Why was he talking to her? She never expected him to even mind her, despite the fact that she volunteered for his sister.

"There aren't many things to be happy about here," Rose murmured, turning away from dazedly staring at the handsome boy and returning to her task of making fire.

"For you, there seems to be nothing to be happy about anywhere," Zach chuckled.

The fourteen year-old from District Twelve simply shrugged.

"Say, I've been waiting for a moment to ask you this…" Zach continued to speak.

Rose momentarily closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, praying that he leave her alone like he did for the past days they were together. It would hurt much less like that. Right now, it seemed like he merely forced himself to talk to her to get information for himself. Being the sneaky boy she knew he was, it sounded very much like something he'd do. He did not care for her, but she did for him.

"Why did you volunteer for my sister?" he asked.

It was the one question Rose dreaded to hear. She turned to look up at him again, her eyes glassy and emotionless, hoping he would not see through her.

"I did not," she shakily said.

Zach frowned. "You did not what?"

"I did not volunteer for your sister," she replied quietly. "I volunteered for myself."

"How does that even–"

"There's nothing left for me back home. I don't even think I can call Twelve my home. It was barely a home for me."

"So you thought volunteering for the Hunger Games would be better?" Zach asked incredulously.

"I suppose the fact remains that your reaction to your sister getting reaped was quite devastating to many people," Rose murmured. "It would have been better for me to volunteer. Nobody would miss me. Many would miss your sister."

"That's still technically volunteering to save her."

"I don't like to think of it that way," Rose suddenly snapped but immediately regained her calm, introverted composure.

"Why not? It makes you sound like a heroine. You volunteered for the poor twelve year-old reaped and saved her brother from possibly going insane. Would you not like that explanation better?"

Rose stared up at his blue eyes that seemed to pierce through her very soul. She wondered if he knew the actual reason why. He could not. She never made her true feelings for him noticeable.

"No, I don't," she said under her breath but she was sure he heard her.

With a stiff nod, Zach turned to start walking away but he stopped after one step and turned his head back, opening his mouth to speak.

"Good luck, Rose, and thank you," he said with true sincerity in his voice.

For the first time in days, an actual smile tugged on Rose's lips as she watched Zach return to his ally.

* * *

_**Six: **__Macy Zimmer, 16_

* * *

Macy had hoped Percy would at least give her company during training, but he already made his way to his own preferred stations without even acknowledging her. She figured he was just shy and did not like the company of others, but she desperately needed someone. She could never survive alone; she knew that. Whenever she saw someone who looked remotely friendly, she'd open her mouth to say hello but nothing would come out.

The plants station had to be Macy's favorite. She loved how interesting learning each and every plant she may or may not see in the arena. She supposed it would be a handy skill in the games. After about an hour or two in the same station, Macy decided to leave. She caught sight of Percy standing in front of a row of flails of different sizes. His eyes skimmed through each one, but he did not make a move of taking any. Finally, he turned away and walked to another survival station to work with.

Macy wandered off to the weapons, figuring that it would be important to learn how to use at least one. She gulped at the sharp points and how deadly they all looked to be. She could not bring herself to extend a hand and take one. Her eyes settled on a long sword, possibly the one she saw the boy from Two using yesterday. She imagined herself wielding it and slicing tributes part by part like the Career. She imagined the blood at her hands and staring at the lifeless body she had killed. A flash of Max appeared in her head, blaming her for what she had done.

_You killed someone, Macy! How could you even do that? You are no better than the people from the Capitol! You are not welcome to come home because you are a _murderer_!_

Her parents then replaced her furious boyfriend in her head. They both had disappointed faces on. Her father was simply devastated.

_I risked my life for you, Macy. This is how you repay me? The blood in your hands shows what kind of person you are! Everyday, you must wake up knowing that you were responsible for someone's death. You are a killer, Macy! You are not my daughter anymore!_

Her hands immediately shot up to cover her ears. Her eyes began to water as she stared down at what used to be the floor of the Training Center. Now, she stood on a puddle of blood and an unknown body rested before her.

"_NO_!" Macy screamed, trying to block everything and everyone off. She could still hear Max's furious accusations and her father's disappointed tone. "_I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I just wanted to come home! I want to go home! I want to go home! Daddy, don't leave me! I WANT TO GO HOME!"_

_But you can't come home! You are a killer! You don't deserve a home!_

Macy had never screamed louder than she did at this moment. Her hands were practically gripping her hair and desperately blocking her ears from the noise around her. Still, Max and her father's voices were still clear and every word stung. She could almost feel her heart breaking into a million pieces. If it was even possible, the voices grew louder and louder. Her eardrums felt like they were going to pop and her eyes remained shut.

When finally she could not take the noise, she opened her eyes and saw that she was not surrounded by blood. She noticed how she had fallen to her knees during her little episode. She stood before a familiar rack of swords and immediately, the whispers began in her head again.

"_Make it stop! Make it stop_!" she screeched, her hands returning to her ears in desperation to block the whispers out. She did not dare close her eyes again for she was sure she would return to the pool of blood she was surrounded with.

A hand enclosed around her arm and pulled her up to her feet. Again, the voices disappeared and she could hear nothing but the unusual silence in the Training Center. Her sight was a bit blurry as her tears clouded it. She could barely even walk, but the stranger who held her arm forced her to. She could see that he was headed for a door. The stranger led her into a dark hallway that usually led to the cafeteria and the water station. Stopping in front of a water dispenser, the stranger took a cup, filled it with cold water and handed it to her.

"Drink," the stranger ordered. He had a low, gruff voice that seemed all too familiar to Macy. She recognized the voice of Percy Eden, her district partner.

She complied, shakily lifting the cup to her lips and gulping down its contents. Macy blinked and more tears began to stream down her pale cheeks. She stifled a sob and just kept drinking her water to keep her from breaking down completely. She could not do that in front of Percy.

"You are acting like a child," Percy said as he helped her fill her cup with more and more water as her hand was too shaky to even hold it properly. "You are sixteen, are you not?"

"I am," Macy replied very softly, her eyes refusing to meet his.

"I cannot believe we are the same age," Percy said though not in a way that seemed like he was insulting her. He sounded almost bored and uninterested, but his eyes had a tinge of worry in them as he stared at her. "It's almost like you're a girl version of Robin."

Macy's eyes snapped up to his face. His eyes blankly stared at the opposite wall and his grip on her arm loosened.

"Who's Robin?" Macy asked but immediately regretted it when Percy's eyes flashed with absolute tenderness and worry.

"Nobody," he mumbled. "He's just somebody I knew. He gets episodes like that sometimes too. I'm the only one who knew how to calm him down."

"Why would that happen to him?" Macy asked but dreaded the answer.

Percy sighed and ran a hand through his thick dark hair.

"It's nothing," he said. "Not a big deal really. You done with that?" He gestured to her cup of water.

Macy was pretty sure he had lied about it 'not being a big deal' but she did not push him for an answer. After finishing her cup of water, she and Percy walked back in the Training Center. Eyes immediately trained to her. Some pairs were filled with worry, some with curiosity and even a few with mild satisfaction and desire to kill.

* * *

_**One: **__Necali Reinerston, 18_

* * *

After the little episode of the girl from Six, the Training Center was strangely quiet. It was like a realization came upon most of the tributes that this was all real and seeing the obvious insanity of the girl made them realize that this was not fun and games. This was the real deal. People came out of the arena absolutely insane. Necali had seen even tributes from his district not exactly in the right head after being crowned as victor.

Necali vowed that he would never end up like that. It would only give his father the satisfaction that his choice to defy him was wrong. He would assume that his son's insanity was due to his own fault of not obeying his father. Necali cringed at the thought. Sighing, he let his gaze wander and they settled on the beautiful brunette who he had so bluntly rejected her advances earlier today. He still chuckled at look on her face when he left her. She obviously did not get that kind of answer very much.

True, the brunette was very pretty, but Necali had no time to flirt with girls here. Still, he had to admit the girl was on his mind a lot though he liked to think it was because she annoyed him greatly. How dare she even think for a second that he would fall helplessly into her charm and beauty? He was smarter than that. He was raised for the games no matter how much he wanted to be freed from his father's wishes for him. Necali knew her reason though. He could see them right through her eyes. The moment she realized who Necali was, she sprung into action.

Her beauty would not be enough to gain her a spot in the Career alliance. Sadly, Necali's ally did not seem to think the same.

"Look at that chick," Ares said as he watched the girl from Eight walk from station to station, his eyes skimming from top to bottom hungrily. "Ya think she'll be interested in joining? I could use a good sight to see during the games." He winked at Necali and turned his attention back to the girl and tilted his head to the side, staring at her backside.

"I don't think she will be," Necali said irately. "Seeing as she's already got her eye on Ten."

Ares slightly frowned when he watched the girl giving the blonde boy from District Ten subtle glances from her spot on the line of the obstacle course. He did not seem to notice her staring.

"Maybe she's got a thing for blondes," Ares said with another wink. "Ah, but you're blonde too."

"You're awfully intelligent today, Ares. Very good observation," Necali replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Can you two stop drooling over Eight and come back here for a second? Maybe we can look for another ally who _actually_ knows how to fight," Kellisa suddenly snapped from behind the two boys.

"I agree," Terra said with a roll of her eyes as she narrowed her eyes at the brunette her two allies were watching a few seconds ago. "She looks like she can barely lift a sword."

"I don't think you can either," Reif said in his usual apathetic tone and drawl. His eyes took in Terra's tiny body structure and this seemed to irritate her very much. She then sulked over to one of the daggers hanging and slashed at a nearby mannequin with such ferocity and irascibility, muttering how one should never mention her miniature figure.

"I doubt she'll do well in the alliance," Sapphire added in, her eyes focused on the rack of swords.

"Case closed," Necali said. "She's not getting in."

"Ugh, why cant we just stick with this?" Terra snapped, gesturing to their group of six.

"We could use some more fighters out there," Ares answered, his eyes finally leaving the brunette from Eight and narrowing at the tributes who were scattered all over the Training Center.

Necali did the same. He noticed a few tributes staring in their direction and he smirked when they immediately shifted the direction of their look in cowardice. One tribute though actually held his gaze. She was a blonde with short pixie cut hair and wide seemingly innocent stormy eyes. Finally, she turned away and continued to wait in line in the hand-to-hand combat station.

"What about her?" Necali asked the rest, pointing to the blonde.

"Pixie Girl?" Sapphire said with raised eyebrows. "I've seen her before. She got a massive cheer from the Capitol during the Chariot Rides. I'm going to crush her."

With a roll of his eyes, Necali almost laughed at how natural it came to Sapphire to simply say she was 'going to crush her'.

"What can she do?" Kellisa asked in curiosity.

"Haven't really seen her do anything," Ares answered her with a wave of his hand. "I don't think we should ask _her_. I mean, she looks like the type who'd betray us after the second day of the games."

"I don't think Pixie Girl is someone to trust either," Necali agreed whole-heartedly.

Someone eventually caught the eye of the Career tributes. When the six of them finally decided to move away to the ropes course, Necali spotted a dark-haired boy briskly walk to the rack of flails. He called the attention of his allies and six pairs of eyes watched the boy with interest. Sapphire added in some information on him. Necali noticed how Sapphire was able to name and know almost every tribute here. His name was Percy and he was from District Six. Necali recognized him to be the one who helped out his fellow tribute about an hour ago after her mental episode in front of the wall of swords.

Percy picked up a reasonable size of a flail for him. He slowly walked to a mannequin and gripped the weapon with both hands. He swung the flail and with great force, it hit the mannequin's head. The neck nearly detached entirely from its torso. The flail's deadly spikes pierced into the blue material that made the dummy. It seemed more than exceptional for the Careers because when Necali turned to see their reactions, almost everyone had an ecstatic glint in their eyes and smirks.

* * *

_**Six: **__Percy Eden, 16_

* * *

After a couple of days, Percy finally let himself show even the littlest bit of emotion to his district partner. He could not believe Robin's name slipped out of his mouth while he helped her. That was probably the only reason why he _did_ help her. He remembered how Robin would sometimes go insane over his mother's death. People would normally assume Percy would be getting these kinds of mind attacks because it was he who watched his mother die right in front of him.

Still, Robin would cry all night sometimes and would try to convince Percy that his mother woke him up in the middle of the night to try and explain why she had gone. Percy knew this was not true, but he believed the story for the sake of his little brother. Percy would tell him mother was still there, she just did not want to show herself. Ignorantly, Robin would believe him and it would eventually send him back to sleep after Percy would force down a couple glasses of water down his throat.

After he was sure she was okay and finally left Macy in the plants station, he made his way to the weapons and finally gathered up the courage to try out one of the flails. Ever since day one, he's had quite an interest for them. He was able to choose which one would be best for him and tried it out on a plain mannequin. What he did not realize was that people were watching him. After letting his flail sink in the stomach of his third mannequin, he noticed he had some company.

"May I help you?" he asked gruffly.

He knew he should not get to the bad side of the Careers, but they approached him at the wrong time. He was not exactly in the best of moods.

"You've got quite the talent on that," Percy recognized the boy from Two as he spoke.

"Thanks, I suppose," Percy grunted, not really paying them much attention and was vaguely wondering why exactly they were here in the first place.

"Doesn't he realize how lucky he is that we're actually talking to him?" he saw from the corner of his eye the girl from One whisper to her fellow ally from Four.

"I'm very flattered," Percy snapped at her. One smirked at him as if he's made the right choice to be, obviously not sensing the sarcasm in his tone.

"Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea," the boy from Two murmured, noticing Percy's sarcasm.

The other blonde (probably the boy from One) sunk his elbow in the side of Two's stomach. Two's face twitched in irritation as he tried to hide the pain from his ally's elbow.

"We came here to ask if you wanted to join us," One asked in a forced kind tone and small encouraging smile.

"No," Percy immediately answered as he continued to hit the dummies with his flail.

He saw their surprised expressions and almost laughed.

"_Excuse me_?" the girl from One said in shock, clearly insulted.

Percy swiftly turned around, his flail rocking back and forth and his hands shaking with anger.

"I do _not_ want to join you," Percy said through gritted teeth. "I hope that finally made it clear to you."

In lightning speed, the boy from One snatched a knife from the rack nearby and threw it at Percy. With wide eyes and a gasp, Percy felt it pass his head and heard a loud swish when it passed his ear. It was literally a centimeter away from piercing his cheek. For the first time since he stepped in the Training Center, he was frankly terrified.

As the knife sunk in the mannequin behind the sixteen year-old, the familiar thud of a sinking knife echoed in the Training Center and every tribute turned to Careers. Percy saw One inch away from the knives and back inside the pack of his alliance. It seemed that he was the only one who noticed this because the other tributes were still frowning at the group, trying to decipher which one of them was the knife thrower. No gamemakers came this time, probably because nobody was hurt. Percy desperately wanted someone to come forward, but nobody did. It was simply he and the Careers.

"That is a sneak peak of what's going to happen in the arena if you don't accept our offer," One said quietly.

"Turn it down, we'll make sure your death is as slow as possible during the bloodbath," the boy from Two added in, his eyes glinting and his smirk widening.

"You are forcing me into this," Percy hissed venomously.

"Aren't you a genius?" the boy from Four suddenly spoke mockingly. Percy blinked at him. He had never actually heard Four speak before and it was the first time he did in their current conversation.

"It's still your choice," Two said, revealing his teeth in a wide grin. "You just have to suffer the consequences of whichever choice you choose. Choose wisely. I don't think you'll fancy a long, painful death in front of the whole of Panem during the bloodbath."

Shaking slightly, Percy turned to the plants station where he saw Macy watching his exchange with the Careers, her eyes wide. He bit his lip, still remembering how he had promised her they would be allies if they ever met each other in the arena. Sighing, Percy turned back to the Careers who waited for his answer.

"_Fine_," he snapped rancorously. "I'll do it."

* * *

**Sadly, I could not fit in the next two tributes (Hunter and Rowen) because the chapter would be too long. The next chapter would have six tributes again the the deliberation of the scores by the game makers, hopefully in the same chapter. I noticed how many of the SYOTs I've read that they did not bother with the how the tributes impressed the trainers but simply their scores. Majority say it's quite boring so I won't do it anymore.**

**Poll is still up! Get voting. :)**

**Please review so I know what you guys think of this chapter. It was another chapter I enjoyed writing very much. Please tell me what you think! Thank you. :)**

**~jess**


	18. Training Day 3

_**Eight: **__Burton Howl, 14_

* * *

On the last day of training during breakfast, Burton just couldn't keep his mouth shut about how Zelda's plan on joining the Careers was currently going down the drain. Unfortunately for her, Burton heard her conversation with their mentor on how she was out of ideas on how to get the Careers to ask her to join them.

"You got rejected by One. _HA_!" he cackled gleefully.

From behind the tears of laughter forming in his eyes, Burton could see Zelda shaking in rage and holding onto her bread knife like she was about to throw it at his face any second. He used this as an opportunity to make fun of her again.

"Be careful with that knife; you might throw it," Burton warned her, trying to keep a straight face. "Oh, wait. That's not a throwing knife either!" He collapsed into fits of giggles once again.

"_Ugh, I am going to slaughter you_!" she shrieked in rage, standing up from her seat, knife in hand.

"Take it easy, Morrison," Burton said in between laughs. "I was just messing around."

"How about I mess your face around?" Zelda growled before lunging at him.

His inner Calico acting up, Burton dodged her perfectly manicured and pointy nails, extended his foot and hooked it with her ankle, making her lose balance and fall heavily on the chair Burton occupied just a few seconds ago. She cried out in pain and her eyes immediately locked with Burton's, them being filled with absolute rage like she was about to eat Burton alive.

"See ya down there!" Burton chortled, dashing to the elevator.

As soon as the doors opened, Burton stepped in and repeatedly jammed his thumb on the button that triggered to close the elevator doors. Before Zelda could step in with him, the doors closed completely and Zelda's screech could still be heard as Burton descended. Laughing to himself the whole ride down, the doors opened to reveal the already busy Training Center. He stepped out with the biggest grin on his face and scanned the room for his ally. Burton spotted Zach walking away sweaty from the obstacle he had just probably finished going through. Snickering to himself, he made his way to the boy from Twelve to tell him of the amusing incident that just happened on the eighth floor during breakfast, regarding a very angry Zelda.

"You should have seen her face!" Burton finished his story, laughing once again.

"She doesn't look too happy; I'll give you that," Zach said, chuckling at Burton's antics as he watched Zelda walk in the Training Center with an unattractive scowl on her face.

"Can't believe she actually wants to join the Careers," Burton said with a roll of his eyes.

"Didn't they ask the boy from Six yesterday?"

Burton nodded. "Said yes, he did. He'll be regretting that once he's in the arena. Careers are nothing but bossy know-it-alls who think they're made of steel or something."

"_Burton_," Zach said shakily, looking over the curly-haired boy's shoulder.

"They'd all better watch their backs in the arena," Burton continued to speak, ignoring Zach. "Just because we're from outer districts, doesn't mean we can kick their ass. By the last eight, they'll be begging for me to spare their lives."

"Burton, I really think–"

"Someone's got a big mouth over here! Hey, guys! Come over here; this kid cracks me up!"

Burton was surprised at the sound of an all too familiar voice behind him. He recognized it to be the boy from Two. He was the one who got into a fight on the first day of training. Slowly, a smirk formed on Burton's face; his eyes twinkled in mischief. He turned around and the Two practically towered over him. His allies however were not too tall and Burton did not have to look up at them to speak to their faces. In fact, most of his allies seemed pretty pissed off, especially his district partner who had been shooting arrows at a target board before being called by the boy.

"Why don't you repeat what you just said, Eight," Two egged him on, a grin on his face.

Burton just wanted to have some fun with this.

"Unless you're deaf, I'm pretty sure you heard me," he said with a taunting roll of his eyes.

Two narrowed his eyes at him. Burton almost laughed.

"I don't really fancy the idea of you getting too near me either," Burton continued to speak and he pinched his nose as if he smelled something incredibly disgusting. "I'm not one who enjoys the smell of the weak."

"There was an implication of weakness and bad smell in that statement," the boy from Four (Reif, was it?) said with slight amusement to his tone. "That should be a blow to Ares' ego."

Percy from Six snorted but immediately composed himself and distanced himself from the group once more.

"Did you just call me weak?" Ares growled, his blue eyes deadly piercing into Burton's twinkling brown eyes.

"Oh, I know you are," Burton said with a wink. "I don't think you should be walking around with your head up high when you were beaten by a girl on the first day of training."

Sapphire, the girl from One, seemed pleased with herself at this comment and sent an evil grin at the back of Ares' head. Ares, on the other hand, was shaking in fury. He was gritting his teeth and his hands were visibly shaking. Burton couldn't help but feel relieved that there were no weapons nearby. Sadly, he knew he had to stop the fun before it got out of hand.

"See you in the games," he said with a small snicker. He swiftly turned around and grabbed Zach's arm, dragging him to the other side of the Training Center.

* * *

_**Two: **__Kellisa Partage, 16_

* * *

"Wasn't he charming?" Kellisa commented, watching the boy from Eight approach one of the survival stations with his ally.

"I'm going to kill him," Ares spat, his eyes still burning at the back of Eight's head.

"Now that he's mentioned it though, I think I _am_ getting whiff of your scent," Necali snickered.

Kellisa had no idea how much willpower her district partner had to not punch Necali in the face. She was impressed at how he was able to control his anger this time. Without saying anything else, Ares walked back to the mannequins, grabbed his usual pair of dual swords and beheaded the dummies back and forth, muttering under his breath.

"Isn't he cheerful today?" Reif drawled.

Jumping slightly, Kellisa put a hand to her heart, her eyes wide as she stared at Reif and mentally asked herself when he got here. She always told herself to watch out for this boy from Four. His facial expression never changed nor did the tone of his voice. He always seemed calm and collected although she would notice him to have a sudden flash of anger in his eyes whenever he was irritated. He kept his emotions inside very well, but Kellisa knew getting him angry wouldn't be too hard. Perhaps that kind of information would help her in the arena.

Excusing herself from her group, she made her way to the water station for a drink. She walked down the dark, narrow hallway that led to the cafeteria as well. It was usually closed before and after lunch so she was surprised when a hand popped out of one of the doors and pulled her inside. She suppressed a squeal that was about to slip out of her mouth. Wide-eyed, she turned to face her kidnapper. If anyone in the Training Center were to kidnap her now, she definitely did not expect it to be the curly-haired redhead with the horizontal scar running from the right of her nose to the left of her right ear who's gray eyes glared down at the sixteen year-old.

Kellisa recognized her; yes, she did. Necali must have been out of his mind to even throw a knife in her direction. Kellisa had a vague idea on why exactly she was pulled in the cafeteria alone with a gamemaker. She was too frightened to voice this out loud so she kept her mouth shut and simply stared back at the redhead.

"Hello, er…" the gamemaker said, her voice shaking as she struggled to look confident. Kellisa noticed her eyes darting down to a couple of papers she held with her right hand. Kellisa could have sworn she saw a picture of her on it but the gamemaker stuffed the paper in her pocket before the brunette could take a closer look. "Kellisa, yes. Hello, Kellisa."

"May I ask why the hell you dragged me in here with you?" Kellisa asked boldly though cursing herself the moment the sentence slipped out of her mouth. This woman was a gamemaker for Pete's sake. Who knows what kind of powers she held in the control room while the tributes were in the arena? She could easily make Kellisa's life hell.

"I dragged you in here to ask you if you know which one of you did this to me," the redhead snapped, pointing to the scar on her face. "I saw your group throw another knife yesterday. This is not funny anymore. I will have to know who threw that knife at me before you all enter the arena we've been spending months–well, _they've_ been spending months–working on!"

"Why do you need to know?" Kellisa shot back. "We don't have to show off all our talents before the games."

She shot Kellisa a look of pure loathing.

"You tell me now, or I will assure you that you'll be s-suffering more than you think as long as I'm in that control room," she said, stuttering a bit and her grip loosening on Kellisa's arm.

"Why do you need to know so bad?" Kellisa pressed on. "Is this purely for revenge? When you find out, are you going to make their lives hell in the arena?"

This made the redhead's face fall for a moment and her hand completely detached from the brunette's arm.

"I… I suppose so…" she murmured, guiltily staring at the ground.

"But that's wrong."

The redhead sighed and nodded. Kellisa couldn't believe this was working but she kept the act up to keep the subject away from herself or her ally.

"Maybe if you just forgive him–"

At this, her head shot up. "Him? It's a him then?"

Kellisa almost slapped herself. She almost had her! The self-hatred for letting that vital piece of information slip must have shown on her face because the redhead grinned.

"Thank you, Kellisa," she said with twinkling eyes and skipped away until she slipped into a room at the other side of the cafeteria.

Glassy eyes and determined to make one of her allies punched her in the face for being so stupid, she made her way out of the cafeteria, down the hallway and back in the Training Center. She glanced at the gamemaker's platform and saw the redhead come from a door that probably led to the kitchens which explains where she disappeared to a few moments ago in the cafeteria. The redhead ecstatically approached the Head and talked amiably to him. Kellisa noticed the Head's face perk up.

Walking back to her allies, they all questioned her blank expression and asked her where she had gone. Her answer was a simple, "Someone punch me; I think I'm getting stupid."

Terra jumped at the chance and rammed her fist into Kellisa's shoulder.

* * *

_**Ten: **__Rowen Ember, 18_

* * *

During lunch, Rowen and Colleen sat with each other as usual. Rowen had gone quite protective of the sixteen year-old. She was so timid and barely even talked but she was from home, and Rowen would stick with anyone who would remind him of District Ten. The fact that his father had probably made her family's life even worse made Rowen feel like he was responsible for it. Being nice to Colleen was the least he could do. He never even asked her to be allies with him but he believed that went without saying. Usually, he refused to leave her side, afraid that someone might take her away and he would be alone with other tributes he barely even knew about.

Lunch was quiet as usual. Colleen never liked to speak much and Rowen did not try to get her to. He figured if she was comfortable enough to speak, she would. Her bright blonde hair had stains of the paint she had been working with ever since day one. Her hands weren't exactly clean either, but she tried scrubbing the color off of them for about thirty minutes before the lunch break. She figured they were clean enough to eat with. Besides, it wasn't like she was going to eat with her hands.

As the pair from Ten continued to eat in silence, a petite girl with chestnut colored hair and a small smile gracing her thin lips stood before Rowen and Colleen's table as she held her tray of food.

"Would it be all right if I sat here?" she asked politely. "I was running out of tables to choose from and I don't really fancy sitting alone…"

"Okay," Colleen suddenly piped up. Rowen blinked at her, surprised that she had actually spoken to the little girl. He nodded anyway and she grinned in delight, taking a seat next to Colleen.

"My name is Olivia," she introduced herself. "I'm from District Eleven. What about you two? Where are you from?"

"We're from Ten," Rowen answered, eyeing Colleen as if expecting her to speak again. She didn't though. Instead, she watched the exchange in interest without any plans of joining probably.

"Our districts shouldn't be too far then," Olivia said cheerily as she ate. "You're livestock, aren't you?"

"Yes, and you're agriculture."

Olivia nodded with a distant look in her eyes. She sighed. "I miss home."

Rowen laughed bitterly. "I wish I had more time to say goodbye to my family. The time we got in the Justice Building just wasn't enough."

Olivia did not know of Rowen's situation for she nodded as if she understood Rowen completely. Colleen though gave the eighteen year-old a small smile. She did not know how it felt for a parent to be separated from his or her own child but she was aware of how bad it must feel.

"Are you the youngest in your family, Rowen?" Olivia asked.

"No," Rowen chuckled. "I have twins."

The girl from Eleven slightly frowned. "You _have_ twins?"

"Rowen is married," Colleen suddenly joined in with a sad smile. "I knew his wife, Ciana. She's very sweet; a good mother too."

"She was…" Rowen sighed.

"That's quite sad," Olivia said, looking at him in pity. "At least they're not old enough to know where you're actually going. It might break them."

Rowen did not answer, but he knew she was right. He wished he had been reaped when the twins weren't even born yet. If he died, they would never meet their real father. He'd tell Ciana to find another boy and his children would never know of Rowen. It hurt, but it would be for the best. It would simply hurt them, knowing that their real father was actually reaped into the Hunger Games. Worse comes to worst, they might even get some sort of depression.

After lunch, Olivia thanked the pair for letting her sit with them and Rowen watched her as she joined her district partner in the plants station.

* * *

_**Eleven: **__Hunter Vale, 17_

* * *

While Hunter watched his district partner as she continued to name each and every edible plant, he almost asked her to be allies with him in the arena. He just could not open his mouth and let the words out. He had been used to separating himself from everyone else in his life. He never had a real friend before. His grandmother did not count as a friend because he pushed her away too. Olivia though reminded him so much of his sister that it hurt him inside.

"I was speaking to the two from Ten during lunch," she suddenly said, her eyes trained down at the plant she was currently examining.

"I saw," Hunter grunted.

He, on the other hand, sat alone during lunch, just like a couple of other tributes. He had been surprised to see the girl from Six sitting alone on a table. She and her district partner had been good friends, of course her district partner had no choice but to sit with the group of rowdy Careers who could not keep their speaking and laughter to themselves. Six did not seem to participate in their rather loud conversations. Whenever Hunter would let his eyes wander to them, Six would be glaring at his plate of food as he sat beside the girl from One.

"I was just thinking…" Olivia started but did not finish as she absentmindedly stared at the opposite wall.

Hunter raised his eyebrows at her, expecting her to continue.

"Well, wouldn't it be nice to be allies with them?" she said hurriedly. "I mean, the boy is pretty fit and he could be a very good teammate in the arena, don't you think?"

The seventeen year-old shrugged. Olivia sighed, obviously used to his lack of reaction and speaking.

"Are you going to be with anyone?" she asked curiously.

Not wanting to speak then, Hunter shook his head.

"But… won't that be difficult for you?"

Again, he shook his head. She rolled her eyes.

"You should learn how to speak more," she grumbled. "I don't suppose you'll have a very good interview."

"I'll do fine," he grumbled.

He watched her roll her eyes again as she returned to her work with the plants. Instead of just standing there doing nothing, Hunter left the station and decided to try one of the weapons for a change. When his father was still alive and well, he had been the cook of the house. He used an axe to cut up the chicken he saved probably two months for and even taught Hunter how it was done. Ever since he had died, his grandmother had been preparing his meals for him and he just locked himself in his room, never touching an axe ever again.

Hunter's eyes were trained to the rack of axes that were free to be used by the tributes. He saw though that he was not alone and someone was already there. A tall, slim blonde repeatedly let the blade of her axe sink in the stomach of one mannequin. Hunter recognized her to be the girl from Seven. It would make sense why she was able to use an axe so well.

As if she felt like there was someone watching her, the girl swiftly turned. Hunter blinked, but held his gaze. She slightly narrowed her eyes but continued work her magic on the mannequin.

"Hunter!"

Surprised, the seventeen year-old turned to see Olivia briskly walking towards him by the weapons.

"I think I'm going to do it," she said breathlessly. "I want to be allies with them."

Hunter shrugged in response.

"I only came here because…" she bit her lip nervously. "I don't know… Maybe you want to join as well."

A slight crease forming in between his eyebrows, Hunter shook his head sharply.

"But Hunter, it's going to be hard being alone, I mean–"

"It would be even harder with other people," Hunter interrupted her, finally speaking. "If you want to win, how are you supposed to kill them in the end?"

Olivia looked shock at her district partner's words. She obviously did not think of that.

"Getting attached is the last thing you're going to want to do in the games, Olivia," Hunter continued to speak. This must have been the longest he's ever spoken in someone's presence. "These people _cannot_ be you friends. They are fighting for their lives as well."

"I'm still going to do it," she said shakily. "I believe it will help my chances of staying alive."

"Suit yourself," Hunter shrugged. "Good luck."

After one last wary look, Olivia left Hunter by the weapons and went to search for her newly found allies.

* * *

_**Five: **__Drew Perrin, 15_

* * *

Breathless and sweating, Drew stepped off the obstacle course after she had finished it for the fifth time that afternoon. She had grown a liking for the obstacle and she was just about to line up again but Langston grabbed ahold of her arm and dragged her away from the line.

"You're going to pass out if you keep repeating it without taking a rest at least," he said with a chuckle.

"But it's fun!" Drew whined, her eyes staring longingly at the obstacle course that the girl from Twelve was currently going through.

"Save some for the gamemakers, Drew."

"I don't even know what to do for them! I could go through the obstacle course but I don't think that's nearly as interesting as what the Careers would do but like–"

"Maybe you can show them how you can talk a tribute to death or something," Langston murmured.

Drew ignored his comment and continued to sprout out ideas on how to impress the gamemakers that day. Her best idea had been to set a trap on a gamemaker. Unfortunately, the pair had been standing near the gamemaker's platform at that moment and the Head had heard what she had been saying. Drew wasn't exactly the most silent person either. She completely missed the maddened look the Head had given her when she passed his platform.

While Langston practiced with a spear (the Careers had lined up for the obstacle course; that was probably why Langston dragged Drew out of there), Drew tried out a simple weapon of her own which was a slingshot. The pair practiced for some time until someone had approached them that made them both abruptly stop. Drew was so sure it was the Careers and squeaked as she turned to face the person. She sighed in relief when it was only a little cheery blonde whose eyes brightly stared up at the pair from Five.

"Hey there!" Drew greeted her with a huge smile on her face. She always liked kind-looking people. This little girl didn't even look like she could hurt a fly.

"My name is Relly," she said with a toothy grin. "You're Drew, right?"

"Yeah, I am! Hey, Langston, come over here! This is Relly. She's nice, isn't she?"

"I know she's Relly, Drew. I heard her," Langston chuckled but kindly held his hand out for Relly to shake. "I'm Langston, though you probably already knew that since Drew just called me by my name."

"Nice to meet you," Relly shook his hand happily.

"What brings you here then?" Langston questioned her curiously.

Drew noticed a tinge of pink appear on her cheeks but her smile remained the same.

"You two seem like really good people," Relly started shyly. "I mean, you're good fighters too and you'd be great company in the arena and since we're all going in obviously and I was just–"

"You're rambling, Relly," Langston pointed out jokingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Relly blushed even deeper, staring at her feet.

"Don't worry! I do it all the time," Drew grinned at her, not wanting Relly to feel uncomfortable with her and Langston.

Relly giggled. "I mean, I was wondering if I could join your alliance. I was going to ask to be with Colleen but she's way older than me and she might not want me. She's with an eighteen year-old guy too and it's kind of scary." Relly's head whirled around the room as though she was worried someone might have been listening in.

Her voice dropped to a soft whisper when she turned her attention back to the pair from Five. Drew and Langston had to lean forward to hear her.

"I was going to ask the boy from Twelve," Relly's cheeks visibly reddened even more. "But he's with Burton Howl."

"Who's Burton Howl?" Drew asked loudly.

Relly shushed her hastily but it was too late because a bunch of tributes nearby turned to look curiously in their direction. Drew mentally prayed Burton Howl wasn't one of them.

"He's the boy from Eight," Relly continued to whisper. "I saw him talking badly to the Careers earlier. I didn't really want to be with him. Don't you think he'll be a target?"

"Don't worry about it, Relly," Langston said with a small smile. "You can stay with us."

"Yeah, you can!" Drew grinned, slinging an arm over Relly's shoulder. "You're part of us now."

* * *

_**Four: **__Terra Johansenn, 15_

* * *

"Did I just hear someone say Burton Howl?" Ares murmured bitterly under his breath as he waited for his turn on the obstacle course. He had recently learned the boy from Eight's name from Sapphire.

It had been very amusing for Terra to watch Ares in a bad mood nearly the whole day. She noticed something fishy about his district partner as well. Ever since she had gone to get a drink from the water station, she'd been glancing at the gamemaker's platform more times than usual. Terra could admit that the Head looked like a nice piece of work but she was not stupid enough to conclude that Kellisa was simply entranced by his looks.

Usually, Terra would stick with her district partner since he barely even talked so he wouldn't irritate her as much as everyone else did. Ever since Six had joined the group though, she stuck around him a lot. Necali had ordered her to keep a close watch on him but she snapped at him, telling him she was not going to do anything he told her to. Still, Terra stuck around him because she wanted more information on him for herself. If he were to suddenly ditch the Career alliance, maybe she would have an idea where to find him and kill him.

When Ares began to complain even more about the boy from Eight, Terra took a few steps back and situated herself beside Percy Eden, who as usual had a displeased scowl on his face.

"You look like you're having the time of your life," Terra said with a sneer. "You think you're fit enough to get through that obstacle course?"

"I'm not going," Percy answered in a monotone, reminding her a bit of Reif.

Terra laughed. "I can't believe we even took you in. From what I saw, you could barely hold up that flail."

"Says the girl who has to look up to speak directly to my face. I doubt you can carry a weapon that large either."

His voice wasn't taunting. He was simply stating a fact. It was a fact Terra never liked to talk about. He was just lucky they weren't hanging around the weapons station at the moment, particularly the knives.

"You watch your mouth, Six," Terra hissed.

"Insecure, are we?" he said with a slight smirk.

The fifteen year-old growled at him but did not continue to speak. All the Careers–excluding Percy–had gotten their turn on the obstacle course and slightly sweating, they returned to their usual place by the weapons. They saw three children squeak by the spears and they ran off after dropping their weapons all at once.

Terra was already used to that kind of reaction. She even savored it. She loved how almost every tribute in this room was afraid of her and her allies. They were on top of the food chain. Unfortunately, she was not going to be winning with her allies. She was going to face them herself, _She_, Terra Johansenn, was going to win.

Suddenly, there was an announcement. All tributes were to gather outside to wait for their turn for the private training sessions with the gamemakers. Terra turned her attention to the platform where they were all seated. Unlike the others who were happily chatting with each other, the Head focused his gaze on the tributes, just like he always did. Terra wondered about this gamemaker. He was just too odd. She had watched the games back home and she knew how gamemakers were supposed to act. The way he watched the tributes was like he wanted to be apart of them. But that was ridiculous! What kind of Capitol citizen would want to be in their position?

"Are you planning on standing here all day?" Reif's drawl filled her ears. "Did you suddenly decide you were going first? Last time I checked, Four doesn't come before One."

"I'm coming; I'm coming," Terra grumbled and followed her district partner out of the Training Center.

"What are you planning on doing, Sapphire?" Necali asked his district partner as he sat on the bench beside her. Terra took a seat beside Reif.

"Just swords, I suppose," Sapphire shrugged, actually looking nervous for once.

"Scared, Wilkes?" Terra grinned at her.

Sapphire sent her a glare. "I am never scared. You'll see. Those gamemakers won't know what hit him."

"Do you think I should throw a knife, or should I just keep it a secret a little longer?" Necali whispered with a glint in his eye, making the group of Careers move their heads closer together. Percy was not present. He had to sit with his district partner for this.

"Keep it a secret," Kellisa immediately said, sounding a tad panicky.

Terra raised her eyebrows at her. "Why should he? He might as well show them. They would probably be impressed. Besides, only the gamemakers would know. You can keep it a secret from the rest of the tributes."

"That redhead won't be impressed," Ares said with a chuckle.

"If she's what a gamemaker _should_ be," Terra continued to speak, "she'd be impressed."

"She's not," Kellisa snapped impatiently.

"And how would you know?" Ares smirked at her.

"Have you seen her? She doesn't seem like a gamemaker at all! She looks too fragile and innocent."

"Looks can be deceiving," Reif suddenly spoke, making everyone's heads turn to him. He shrugged. "It's true."

"I suppose they are," Terra agreed with a slow nod.

A trainer suddenly called Sapphire's name and Terra smirked when she suddenly paled. They all wished her luck and with a gulp, she stepped inside the room. The group of Careers simply waited, no one speaking as one by one, their names were called. Finally, it was Terra's turn and with a confident posture and smirk, she stepped in the room.

* * *

**I have returned! I apologize for the long wait. It has been almost a week; I know. I went out of town during the weekend so I was barely able to type in this chapter before leaving. I just finished this last night and I am posting this first thing in the morning (which is right now). Hope you guys like the last day of training! I'm going to miss training chapters. They're so fun to do!**

**Next chapter, I am not going to do training sessions but instead, I will be putting in the deliberation of the scores by the ****gamemakers. It will probably be in Desiree's POV. Just to let you know, next few chapters (depends how many chapters the interviews will be taking up) will be in the point of view of the gamemakers. Right after the interviews will be the from waking up on the day of the games and it ends when the bloodbath ends. After the bloodbath chapter, it will go on with the games and I am so so excited!**

**Poll still up! Vote if you haven't yet. Tell me what you think of this chapter in a review! Till next time. :-)**

**~jess**

**EDIT: Hi there! There are reminders for everyone who follows this story and for those who submitted a tribute on my profile. Check that out! :)**


	19. Training Score Deliberation

_**Franco Creswell, 24–Desiree Hawkins, 20**_

_**Training Score Deliberation**_

* * *

As soon as the boy from Twelve skipped out of the Training Center, Franco turned to face the gamemakers for score deliberation. Unfortunately for the hotheaded blonde, his colleagues seemed to find their roast beef more interesting than taking part in discussion. Well, them except Desiree who busied herself by glaring fiercely at her multicolored sneakers. The redhead's mood had not improved since the boy from One stepped in the Training Center.

"Aren't you a cheerful one?" one of the drunk gamemakers who sat to Desiree's right leaned closer to the redhead with a seductive grin.

"I'm hardly cheerful," Desiree hissed, pushing the man away.

The gamemaker had been too drunk to steady himself on time so he fell on the platform on his side. He did not make any move to sit back up but Franco hardly cared.

"Well, let's have them scores now, shall we?" Franco started, looking each gamemaker in the eye to make sure that none of them would make a mistake like the gamemaker who was currently enjoying his slumber on the floor.

"Can we give Reinerston a twelve for almost killing Desiree?" a purple-haired, broad-shouldered gamemaker snickered, his emerald eyes filled with laughter as he awaited the redhead's reaction.

Desiree did not react well.

"Why not a _zero_ for not aiming for Lewis instead?" Desiree growled back, her steely eyes narrowing threateningly with her hands blanching at the death grip she help on the sides of her chair.

"_Enough_," Franco snapped, banging his fist on the glass table he and the others surrounded. "Be serious and _smart_ with this."

"Give him a ten, at least," Carter Jennesen spoke from his seat, pushing his spectacles up his sharp nose.

"_No_!" Desiree exclaimed, rising from her seat. "One wrong move and he could have killed me!"

"Unfortunate, wasn't it?" Franco murmured under his breath.

The Head Gamemaker chose to ignore the nasty scowl sent his way.

"If Reinerston gets a ten, let's talk Wilkes," Franco said as he wrote a sloppy number of ten in Necali Reinerston's tribute profile.

"Give her a lower score to cause some drama within the Careers," Lewis commented, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"Not going to work. Both from One were friends back home."

"How would _you_ know?" Desiree raised his eyebrows at her boss.

"I happen to actually observe the tributes, Hawkins," Franco shot back, "unlike the rest of you here, getting drunk while the tributes are trying to show what they can do."

"Are you trying to say that you actually care–"

"I actually _care_ for my job, Lewis. And if you're all going to act this way, I might as well be my own team of gamemakers."

"We weren't hired to study these tributes, Mr. Creswell," Carter said snippily.

"But that's how we are going to make their lives absolute hell in the arena, Carter," Franco informed him, a smirk slowly growing on his face. "I know how these tributes are more than anyone else here."

"Says who?" Desiree narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him.

"Says me," Franco drawled, raising an eyebrow back as if daring her to say otherwise.

Before another argument broke out between the two, Carter brought up the subject of training scores again. After one last calculating look, Desiree dropped her gaze down to the table, refusing to look into the Head Gamemaker's piercing stare any longer. She had been so focused on figuring out who had thrown the knife at her that she had almost forgotten about her desire to know of her boss' past. For a Capitol man, he had been very strange and Desiree would not stop until she knew the whole truth about him. The redhead always had the tendency to let her curiosity take over her actions, but at the moment she did not care. There was something in Franco Creswell's past that intrigued her.

"If you're giving Wilkes an nine, what are you giving Two then?" Desiree spoke up, keeping an eye on Franco for any reaction at all. Unfortunately, his expression had remained the same. His lips slightly smirking, his eyes bore into anyone's who dared to look at him and his expression almost bored.

"Give the girl a nine," Carter said. "She hardly deserves a ten."

"You're insane, Carter," Lewis shook his head in disagreement, ignoring Desiree's sudden wince at his words. "There are only ten mannequins and ten target boards available for shooting. There were twenty arrows available. Partage shot them all bull's eye."

"The girl from Twelve didn't even get the chance to shoot on her own," Carter snickered.

Desiree frowned deeply at both boys. "You could have given her a new pack."

"Oh, yeah, we could have," Franco added with a twinkle in his eye. "But why give her a whole pack of arrows when she can make one herself? There's a tree over there by the plants station and a whole assortment of knives. If she didn't whine like a baby when she realized there were no arrows left, she would have figured out what we were giving her the opportunity to do. I personally would have been greatly impressed if she did realize what she _could_ do. Sadly, she's just not as good in archery as she thinks she is."

"You don't know that," Desiree shot back. "What if she were as good as Two but you just didn't give her the chance to show it because you wouldn't give her another pack of arrows?"

"Oh, believe me, Desiree. I know Two is capable of making arrows of her own and she is better than Twelve ever will be. The girl spent more than half her time raging all over the place in front of us. A tribute who would actually be focused on winning would try to impress us with something else instead of simply standing there with an arrow-less bow."

Desiree mumbled insults under her breath, sending Franco death glares as she raved. After much discussion, they decided to give Partage a nine and the girl from Twelve a three. The redhead felt it was rather harsh, but she knew Adams was lucky she didn't get a one because Franco seemed pretty set to give her the lowest score possible. Next, they moved on the rest of the Careers before focusing on the outer districts.

"The boy from Two can fight; I'll give you that," Carter said with an impressed nod.

"His name is Ares Hammersmith and he's eighteen," Lewis read from Franco's tribute files before thoughtfully leaning back on his seat. "Hmm… It seems all the male Careers this year are eighteen."

"Why are you so surprised?" Desiree rolled her eyes. "Eighteen year-olds are usually assigned to volunteer in their districts."

The only lady gamemaker then saw what she's wanted to catch at least a glimpse of since the start of the deliberation. Franco's expression tightened momentously. A large crease appeared in between his thick, golden eyebrows and a flash of emotion flickered momentarily in his crystal blue eyes. As he held the tribute profiles in his unusually pale hands, he twitches unexpectedly causing the other two conscious gamemakers–the third was still passed out on the floor–to turn their attention to him. Eyes glittering, Desiree raised her eyebrows at her boss in question.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Franco continued the topic on Ares Hammersmith as if nothing happened. The redhead scowled in annoyance when Carter and Lewis hesitantly joined in the conversation as well. She thought if perhaps the two boys interrogated Franco with her, she'd be able to get something out of him. Sadly, Carter and Lewis were too afraid to even mention the sudden reaction of their Head. Desiree saw the curiosity in their eyes though. Perhaps this was a start.

Turning her attention back to the deliberation, she managed to hold up a rather apathetic expression so it would not look too much like she was interested in persuading Franco to tell her about his uncanny past. Hammersmith was to be given a ten after the discussion and the boy from Four Rief Larken was given an eight for his somewhat boring way to impress the gamemakers. All he did was chuck spears rather impatiently at targets. Despite his deadly accuracy, he spent his time constantly asking how long he needed to stay in there. When Franco finally let him go, Larken stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

"What about the girl then?" Carter asked as he watched Franco jot down the eight in Larken's tribute profile. "Johansenn, was it?"

"She looked pretty pissed off when we showed little to no reaction at all to her skills with that dagger," Lewis snickered.

"Let's give her an eight," Franco added in with a knowing smile.

Carter uneasily eyed his boss, running his fingers through his neatly combed forest green hair. "You sure about that? I don't think she deserves to get a score lower than Partage. To be honest, they seem to be in the same level."

Franco appeared to be in thought; his eyes focused somewhere else and his lips pursed.

"A seven then," he finally spoke.

Carter and Lewis raised their heads to look at him in shock; their artificially colored eyes bulged out of their sockets in incredulity.

"You want to give Johansenn a _seven_?" Lewis slowly clarified.

"If that's what it takes to cause a bit of tension," Franco said with a shrug. "You can't give _all_ the Careers high scores."

"Yeah, we can," Carter argued. "The past Heads have done it."

"Don't you see, Carter?" the current Head snapped irately. "This score would create a bitter Johansenn and we've seen how angry she could be. The other Careers, arrogant as they are, would obviously give comments. The tension would be entertaining."

"What if they kick Johansenn out for getting the lowest score?" Lewis asked.

"If they have brains, they wouldn't."

"And how would _you_ know?" Desiree suddenly piped up, making the male gamemakers turn to her as they had obviously forgotten she was still there.

"It's what _I_ would do," Franco mumbled under his breath.

Carter and Lewis were too into a discussion of their own that they did not catch Franco's last comment. Desiree though heard it clearer than ever. Raising her eyebrows at him in question, the Head simply sent her a glare.

"Nothing," he said quietly before jotting down the seven for Terra Johansenn.

It was most certainly not just _nothing_. He obviously did not mean for anyone to hear that, but Desiree did and it might have just put her one step closer to what she wanted to know.

"Carter and I were thinking we should give Six an eight," Lewis said. "Since we're going for the whole tension thing, don't you think the guy from the outer district getting a higher score than the girl from Four would make her even angrier?"

"She'll also feel the need to prove herself to be better therefore fights with her should be bloodier than usual," Carter added in.

Franco nodded in approval and put in Eden's score as well before finally starting their discussion on the rest of the tributes from the outer districts. Starting with District Three, they decided to give Relly Jay a four for running the obstacle course with a few faults and trying to get the gamemakers to talk to her.

"But she's so cute!" Desiree reasoned with a pout. "I can't believe none of us are allowed to converse with the tributes. She just wanted to talk to us."

"She should have stopped asking if we had a nice day the first time when we weren't even looking at her," Carter muttered.

After Desiree shot the green-haired gamemaker a scowl, Franco finalized her score to be a four and moved on to the boy. The gamemakers did not have much to say about him. All he did was try to use weapons and failing. It had obviously been his first time. Franco also informed his colleagues that he had seen the boy hanging around one station for the whole duration of the training time he was given. They had decided to give him a two though as usual, Desiree found it harsh. Also like usual, nobody listened to her.

"What about Five then?" Carter asked, glancing at the tribute profiles Franco held. "That Drew kid wouldn't shut up like Three. Instead of trying to get us into conversation though, it was like she was having a conversation on her own."

"Pretty handy with the snares though," Lewis commented.

"I've seen her during training," Franco agreed with a stiff nod. "She managed to learn the basics in an hour."

"Give her a six," Desiree suggested, mentally pleading that they would listen to her this time.

"For _snares_?" Carter snorted. "No way. Give her a five."

Steam would have been coming out of her nose that time because of how irritated she was at her colleague. As usual, Franco listened to him and not her. She made a mental note to herself that she would confront him after the deliberation and scream at him for practically ignoring her during the whole meeting.

"Let's give Calder the six," Franco said as he wrote the six down without further discussion. "Anyone who has a natural talent with weapons should get a good score."

"He's the spear kid, right?" Lewis asked thoughtfully as the Head nodded.

"Moving on to this year's cracked tribute," Carter tittered.

"Her name is Macy," Desiree said disapprovingly, something rather odd flashing in her stormy eyes. It was some sort of a mixture of sadness and remorse. Franco had noticed it, but did not comment as she continued to speak. "It's depressing, really. We're not even in the games yet and she's already gone out of her mind."

"I'm giving her a five," Franco said. "She was pretty decent with the knives. She'd make a very interesting tribute in the arena."

"Seven then?"

"I'm not giving her a seven," the Head Gamemaker snapped at his purple-haired associate.

"I meant _District_ Seven."

Desiree nearly shuddered. The girl from Seven had scared her a bit. She was quiet; too quiet actually and it bothered the redhead very much. She'd seen the blonde watching the Careers from the corner of her eye, but she didn't look like she wanted to join. The look in her eye had been more tense, devious and sadistic. Desiree did not share this with anyone else though. Most times, she'd quietly settle herself in one station. She looked innocent enough to trick others.

What Desiree did not realize was the fact that Franco had noticed something off with the blonde from Seven as well. She had been trying too hard to become unnoticeable by others. Franco could clearly see that. He had seen the way she looked at the Careers as well. During the training session with her, she did not look any gamemaker in the eyes. She slowly made her way to the axes, showing her skills off silently. Franco had to admit that he was impressed, but her skill with the axe was not the only reason he had given her the score he was about to reveal to the rest of the gamemakers.

"Give the girl an eight," he said.

Carter stared at him open-mouthed in shock. "Really, Mr. Creswell?"

"That should be a shock to all, wouldn't it?" Franco raised his pale eyebrows at his colleagues. "Who would have thought the silent, seemingly innocent blonde girl from Seven would get a higher score than one of the Careers and almost everyone else?"

"The Careers wouldn't have realized that," Lewis mumbled to himself in realization.

"Exactly."

"You're going to make her a target?" Desiree gasped. "That's cruel!"

"How very naïve you are, Desiree," Franco said with a light, low laugh. "Remember you're still plotting on how to kill Necali Reinerston in the deadliest way possible for nearly killing you. You tell me what's cruel now."

That managed to shut Desiree up. Smirking, Franco turned his attention back to the other two to discuss Spaulding's district partner. He ended up with a six for good aim. Eight had been harder to give a score.

"Howl's got guts," Carter provided his thoughts on the fourteen-year old.

"He strolled in here and told us he could crush the Careers with his bare hands," Lewis sniffed. "I almost mistook him for a Career myself with the way he talked."

"It wasn't just all talk though," Desiree said, recalling Burton Howl's training session. "He does well with a slingshot, not to mention he passed the obstacle course smoothly forwards and backwards, not a single hit or scratch on him."

"He'll be a tough one in the arena," Franco actually agreed with the redhead. "I'll give him a well-deserved seven."

"For a fourteen-year-old he didn't do bad at all," Carter mused.

"Could we get on with Morrison now?" Lewis said eagerly, his emerald eyes glittering with anticipation.

"Look here; Lewis has got a crush."

"Who wouldn't?" Lewis admitted shamelessly. "Have you _seen_ the chick?"

With a slight frown, Desiree leaned forward towards Franco to take a look at Erizelda Morrison's tribute profile. The Head Gamemaker raised his eyebrows at her sudden approach but she immediately drew back, not wanting to be closer to Franco Creswell more than she should be. With a slight redness to her cheeks, she addressed the purple-haired gamemaker.

"She's seventeen," she pointed out.

"_I'm_ twenty-seven," Lewis rolled his eyes. "That's only ten years from– Hey, Desiree, why are you blushing?" He started to snicker. "Don't tell me you're into her too?"

"I think she's into someone else," Carter winked at the redhead and eyed Franco.

"So score for Morrison anyone?" Franco immediately changed the subject sternly, knowing where this was going.

With one last wink to Desiree–causing the Head to scowl a bit–Carter addressed his boss.

"I'd give her a six. She's improved since her first time with the knives."

"Wow, Carter," Franco said in mock surprise. "You actually watched her first time with knives?"

"Who wouldn't?" Carter said with disbelieving snort.

"What about a twelve for looks?"

"_No_," Franco snapped at Lewis, finalizing the score of six on Morrison's tribute profile.

Leaving the subject of District Eight, it had been easier from then on. For both boy and girl of District Nine, they had been given a two and three respectively. For District Ten, little discussion was required as well. Desiree had insisted on giving Colleen Reyna credit for her abilities with camouflage even if Carter and Lewis barely saw it as a skill. She had silently painted a fake forest on a bare wall and did it in record time. Desiree, and secretly Franco, had been truly impressed with her skill. Sadly, Carter and Lewis had disagreed and obviously, Franco listened to them instead of the redhead. Muttering furiously to herself, Desiree watched as Franco marked down the four for Reyna.

Rowen Ember was a different story. He showed off his strength during the training session. Immediately running for the weight-lifting station, he had shown his skill with carrying one of the heaviest weights there. Franco had been reasonably impressed, but he didn't know what exactly he'd be able to chuck at other tributes in the arena. He settled for giving Ember a six.

For District Eleven, the boy did nothing but whack a single axe on one mannequin. He dropped it and left without being dismissed. Irritated at how rude tributes may be sometimes, Franco gave Vale a three.

"Now isn't that a little harsh?" Carter lightly laughed as he watched his boss inscribe the three in a messy scrawl on Hunter Vale's tribute profile.

"This should teach him the lesson of respect," Franco murmured nastily.

"I wasn't even watching him," Lewis chortled. "I think District Eleven was about the time the chefs entered with the food."

"No wonder I can't remember what he did," Desiree mumbled shamefully.

Rolling his eyes at his fellow gamemakers, he brought up the topic of Olivia Thorne. Carter was usually the first to make a comment, but none of them spoke after Franco.

"_Well_?" he barked.

"Er… What did she do again?" Carter asked apologetically.

"She named the plants," Desiree answered him then turned to Franco. "That's right, isn't it?"

"Give her a four then," Lewis offered. "Naming plants isn't very impressive."

"How unfortunate for the district," Desiree frowned. "A three and a four…"

Carter waved her off. "Better than Nine. A two and a three, can you imagine?" He collapsed in a fit of laughter.

Franco finally stared at the last tribute profile in his hands. They had already agreed on giving the girl from Twelve, Rose Adams, a three a little while back while they were discussing Partage's score. Zach Quince had definitely snapped all the gamemakers' attention to him. He came in ten minutes late, causing Franco to be highly irate and impatient with him. His mood did not improve when Zach started pulling things out of his pockets. These things happened to be owned by the gamemakers themselves.

"That Zach Quince is a sneaky one, he is," Carter said darkly, clutching his wrist where his expensive gold watch was safely placed.

A change in atmosphere took place at the mention of his name. Lewis' hand shot to his pocket where he kept his precious Capitol-made gadgets. Desiree immediately bowed her head to check if her gamemaker ID was still pinned above her left breast. Even Franco uneasily held Zach Quince's profile where his picture smiled mischievously at them all.

"Put it away," Lewis moaned childishly, pointing at the picture. "It terrifies me."

"Shut up, Lewis. Take this seriously," Franco snapped.

"Should we be impressed with what he's done?" Carter asked with a slight grimace.

"I suppose we should…" the Head Gamemaker replied hesitantly. "I don't think a tribute's done that before in their private sessions."

"Who in the right mind would even _think_ about stealing from the gamemakers?" Lewis exclaimed.

"Where do you think he came from?" Desiree joined in with a nervous chuckle. "I mean, he was ten minutes late so obviously he was here with us to take our stuff."

"The kitchen is the only other way to get up here without having to pass through the Training Center," Franco said and turned to the kitchen door, calling for one of the Avoxes who cooked for them. When a blonde woman in an apron stepped out almost immediately, Franco opened his mouth again to interrogate her. "Did you see any boy go through the kitchen while we were out here?"

The blonde shook her head slowly, a look of confusion in her dark eyes.

"Are you sure?" Franco pressed on. "Nothing out of the ordinary at least? You didn't hear anyone who you thought had a rather unfamiliar voice?"

Once again, the Avox shook her head, her lips pursed and her eyes warily watching them in curiosity.

"Very well," Franco sighed, defeated. "You may go."

The Avox ran inside as if someone was chasing to slaughter her. The blonde gamemaker turned his attention back to his colleagues.

"Oh, he's good," Franco said, truly impressed.

"Can we give him a one?" Carter spat, obviously holding a grudge over the fourteen year-old boy.

"No, no. Not a one."

Franco Creswell stared down at Zach Quince's tribute profile. A wave of silence came upon the deliberation. It was obvious that the Head had been in thought. His eyes narrowed at the small box where he was expected to write the score. The other three gamemakers conscious in the room did not dare speak. Finally, Franco pulled out a pen with pure black ink and started to write.

Carter, Lewis and Desiree leaned forward to see what he had written when he leaned back in his chair with a confident smirk on his face. As soon as they did, Carter and Lewis had gone all out with complaints.

"You can't possibly give him that!" Carter exclaimed as Lewis nodded furiously beside him.

"A nine is far too much, Mr. Creswell," Lewis added in.

"No, it's perfect," Franco said tranquilly. "He and Howl have a nine and a seven respectively. They both have scores known worthy only for Careers. They're allies, in case you didn't know. I'd love to see a fight between them and the Careers, wouldn't you?"

Carter and Lewis exchanged looks, but did not say anything else. They shrugged and let Franco give the boy a nine. Desiree watched as Franco dismissed them. He offered to stay behind to finalize the papers. Carter and Lewis stood up and obviously expected her to follow them. Desiree gestured for them to go ahead and they did. The two boys though were forced to drag their passed out colleague. Desiree rolled her eyes at the intoxicated man. He did not even help one bit in the deliberation.

"Why are you still here?"

Snapping Desiree out of her thoughts was the slightly irritated but weary tone of Franco Creswell.

"Oh, er… Just thought you needed some help or something," Desiree said uncertainly. Why _was_ she here? She did not even know. But despite this, she took the opportunity to learn more about his past anyway, letting her curiosity get to her once again.

"I don't need help," Franco retorted after making sure that all profiles were with him as he stood up from his chair.

"Where are you going?" the redhead asked with a slight frown.

"To the President."

Desiree's eyes lit up as she stood herself. "Really?"

"Yes, _really_," Franco shot her a glare before striding towards the exit.

"Hey, wait!"

The Head Gamemaker did not stop, but Desiree caught up with him anyway.

"Will you quit following me?" Franco grumbled.

Desiree ignored this.

"You seem really interested in the plans of the Careers, don't you?" she said nonchalantly but eyeing him watchfully.

As expected, the blonde twenty-four year-old stiffened slightly, a wave of emotion flashing in his eyes. He regained his composure rather quickly though that Desiree had even asked herself if she had been hallucinating.

"The Careers make or break the games, Desiree," Franco said with a slight drawl to his tone. "Without them, the games would simply be a bunch of tributes hiding from each other in different places. It's not unusual for me to be so interested in their plans."

"I never _said_ it was unusual," Desiree commented, trying to hide a sly grin growing on her face.

The redhead nearly shrieked in glee when she managed to force the gamemaker to show an unexpected kind of emotion twice now. Now, his eyes widened and nearly bulged out of their sockets as he tightened his hold on the stack of profiles he held. It was strange to see. He was always so composed, collected and sometimes, bitter. He seemed like a usual gamemaker, but Desiree knew there was more to him. The fact that he let it slip that he definitely knew how it felt to suffer was her first clue.

"What about you? I saw how you reacted to Macy Zimmer's name," Franco snapped unkindly.

The Head Gamemaker smirked knowingly when he saw the redhead pale from the corner of his eye. Unlike him, she could not hide her emotions very well. Her hands began to shake and Franco could see how desperately she wanted them to stop. He watched as she took deep breaths and bit her lip so hard that he could almost see blood. He frowned in slight concern.

"What are you doing?" he asked slowly.

Then Franco watched with wide, guilty eyes as Desiree suddenly burst into sobs beside him. The twenty-four year old stopped dead in his tracks. This was not supposed to happen. She was not supposed to start crying at that simple comment. Hesitantly, Franco turned to his left in a very awkward manner. His hands stiff by his sides, he watched as tears streamed from Desiree's gray eyes and down her cheeks. She instantaneously started to wipe her face with the back of her hand but more tears came streaming down.

Franco stiffly stood beside her. He had never actually been in the presence of a crying girl alone. What in the world was he supposed to do now? Should he pat her head in a form of comfort?

_She isn't a dog, Franco; get a hold of yourself_, the blond gamemaker mentally slapped himself.

"Er…" he started ineptly.

But before he could say more, the redhead sprinted her way out of the hallway she and Franco were walking through a little while back. Franco bewilderedly watched her as she ran until he was out of sight. He stayed rooted on his ground, unable to think straight. Girls were so goddamned complicated. Franco could barely even understand his own mother, much more a girl he had only met a few days before.

"Women and their sentiments," Franco mumbled under his breath before finally striding his way alone in the hallway.

* * *

**Yay, training scores! This chapter was longer than I thought it would be. It's nearly 5000 words and I planned it to be about 3000 only... Hopefully, the interviews would take up one chapter because after that, the reveal of the arena and the bloodbath will take place! Yay!**

**The interviews would be something like this chapter. It's still going to be a shifting perspective from Desiree and Franco and it's actually going to focus more on the two of them rather than just watching interviews themselves. I wanted it to be different, so that was the result. You'll see what happens in the next chapter. I've got it all planned out. The interviews will still be there though obviously. You'll just be reading important questions and answers though.**

**One more chapter and it's the start of the games! Tell me what you guys thought of this in a review. It's dialogue heavy but it I had to do it that way since they're deliberating on the scores. Till next time!**

**EDIT: I have edited the blog so if you're confused with some of the scores, they're already there.**

**~jess**


	20. The Interviews (with a strange twist)

_**Franco Creswell, 24–Desiree Hawkins, 20**_

_**The Interviews (with a strange twist)**_

* * *

From the balcony of the gamemakers, Franco stood as he observed the hundreds of Capitol citizens filling in the auditorium. It was a formal event, the interviews. Each citizen had gone all the way in dressing up. As usual, they dressed in an assortment of colors. They matched their dresses and suits with the vibrant color of their hair and lips. Their faces were bombarded by make-up, even the boys. Chatting amiably, they took their seats before the still empty stage where two transparent, circular chairs faced each other on the middle of the platform and the large screen behind the chairs proudly displayed the seal of the Capitol.

Narrowing his eyes at the crowd, he secretly hoped he would catch a glimpse of his pick-haired, golden-skinned mother dressed in a flowing silver gown. Sadly, he could not pinpoint anyone in that of swarm of colorful people. His mother could be anywhere.

"Mr. Franco Creswell!" a loud, cheerful boom erupted from behind the blonde Head Gamemaker.

Franco did not recognize the voice, but he figured it would have been rude if he did not turn to see who it was. Spinning around in place, his eyes as clear and blue as ever met a pair of violet ones than shined vibrantly from their sockets. The man was quite tall with rippling muscles seen from the inside of his olive green suit. Franco had been right. He did not recognize the man from his neat pale hair to his expensive leather shoes. His eye twitched as he forced them to stay wide and curious instead of narrowing suspiciously.

"Good evening," Franco said rigidly.

"Don't you recognize me, Franco?" he laughed heartily.

With pursed lips, the twenty-four year-old gamemaker didn't know whether to just go with it and laugh or tell the truth and shake his head.

"Anyone who grew up happily in the Capitol would recognize me, Mr. Creswell!" he said with a big smile.

Franco visibly stiffened but he did not let the comment get to him too much. Instead, he forced a smile to his face and let out a strained chuckle.

"Perhaps you've just forgotten the history of your position," he said with an outstretched hand. "Vinny Treshold, Head Gamemaker seven years ago, at your service."

The current Head Gamemaker shook Vinny's hand with a fake grin on his face. He did not recognize this man at all. Obviously if he grew up in the Capitol, he would have. Something felt off about him though. As Franco shook his head, he stared into the man's eyes. They did not hold the same welcoming atmosphere his grin had. Instead, his eyes were slightly narrowed and hypnotizing as if he was reading all of Franco's thoughts and all his secrets.

Franco pulled his hand out of Vinny's grasp rather hastily and he was sure the ex-Head Gamemaker had noticed. He did not make a comment on it though as Caesar Flickerman stepped out of backstage causing the audience to erupt in cheers. This was Franco's cue to finally sit down beside Carter who had been watching his exchange with Vinny Treshold the entire time.

"Welcome, everyone! Welcome to the fifty-second Hunger Games!" Caesar said with a huge smile on his youthful face. He was still in his twenties for sure. His hair was cut short and was the color of dark, fresh blood, matching the color of his lips.

The color of red had reminded Franco of Desiree Hawkins so suddenly. He forced his eyes to focus on Sapphire Wilkes who had strutted on stage in an elegant, beige gown that matched the color of her hair and eyes. The dress had dropped so low behind her that almost her entire back had been exposed. She sat on the chair across Caesar with a smile on her face.

"Sapphire! I say; you look ravishing today!" Caesar said as looked Sapphire from top to bottom with a charming smile on his face.

Instead of hearing the girl from One's reply, his ears caught the voices of Vinny Treshold and his fellow gamemaker Lewis. Irritated, Franco swiftly turned around to tell them to shut up. The disapproving look on Vinny's face had bothered him though and he couldn't bring himself to tell them off. Lewis' emerald eyes darted nervously from Vinny to Franco.

"Franco, why isn't President Friselbee's niece present?" Vinny asked with raised eyebrows and a slight smirk.

Feeling his mouth go dry, Franco let his eyes wander around the balcony. All his gamemakers were there, but he could not spot the unnatural blood red hair of Desiree Hawkins. His breathing had suddenly gone short and he was aware that his eyes had gone wide. The balcony had suddenly gone quiet when everyone had noticed the look of pure terror on the Head's face. Caesar Flickerman's voice could clearly be heard now and the interview with Necali Reinerston ran mockingly in Franco's ears.

"Necali, Necali! Delightful to finally meet you! I heard you had gotten excited during training and nearly sunk a knife in one of the gamemaker's faces. Please, tell me more!"

Franco was not looking at the stage, but he could imagine the smirk on his face as he replied.

"It was a misunderstanding, Caesar."

"Oh, was it really? Are you sure you did not intend to hurt the young gamemaker? News around tells me she's the President's niece."

The audience gasped at this, but Necali regained his cool.

"I only wanted to show off my skills but she had gotten in the way. I heard it's her first year here. Forgive her; she was probably just lost."

The eighteen year-old had real guts. Insulting a gamemaker in front of the entire audience and the rest of the gamemakers was truly a risk. Surprisingly, the audience laughed at his comment and even a few of the gamemakers on the balcony joined in.

Franco though was nowhere near amused. He needed to find that idiotic redhead. The reason why she would miss the interviews was beyond him. She could be executed for that. The interview was an event nobody was allowed to miss unless they were in certain circumstances like on their deathbed.

Reinerston from One had gone and Kellisa Partage from Two stepped up in a short, peach-colored dress as she strutted towards Caesar. Franco turned his head back to the show, refusing to show his colleagues the worry on his face.

"Aren't you a confident girl?" Caesar chuckled as he watched the brunette walk like she owned the place. "Kellisa Partage everybody! You may remember her brother Carson Partage who was killed by our very own Raegan Hammersmith in the forty-ninth Hunger Games."

Franco noticed her jaw tightening and her whole expression growing sour. She managed to compose herself rather quickly though and the sickly sweet smile was back on her face.

"Oh, I don't have to worry about any Hammersmith," Kellisa said silkily. "No more from _that_ family will be leaving the arena alive."

"Ho! Ares Hammersmith better be watching his back now, shouldn't he?" Caesar replied, leaning forward as his eyes flickered towards a smirking Raegan who sat on one of the front seats.

"Oh, I don't plan on killing him from behind." A sneer began to grow on the brunette's face. "That kind of cowardice is almost as bad as _killing people in their sleep_."

After the buzz, Kellisa walked out of stage and the cameras swiftly turned on Raegan Hammersmith whose eyes were narrowed and lips in a firm line. Once Ares pranced on stage, Franco had trouble concentrating on the interviews. His fellow gamemakers had started to whisper frantically behind him. It had taken all his will power not to turn and listen. He had to grip the sides of seat resulting to his knuckles growing white to keep his body facing the stage where Ares answered each question with obvious confidence.

"Many have been comparing you to your sister, Ares," Caesar said, leaning forward in interest. "What do you have to say about that? Having your mentor as your sister really must give you an advantage!"

The smirk on Ares' face fell and was replaced by an irate expression. "The only thing good about her being here is the fact that she keeps Partage away from my presence whenever she's there."

"_Last time I heard, she needed to leave early to see someone."_

Franco's right hand twitched involuntarily at Lewis' whisper. Fuming, he swiftly twisted around to glare daggers at the twenty-seven year-old gamemaker.

"Do you have any idea how loud you two are?" he hissed.

"Well, none of us would be speaking if your girlfriend were here," Lewis shot back, a few of his colleagues gasping at how rude he had spoken to their Head. "Do you have any idea what'll happen to her if someone else finds out she's not here where _she's supposed to be_?"

Franco vaguely heard Caesar introduce Relly Jay from Three. All the gamemakers–including the past Head–were staring at the youngest one in the balcony, their eyes mixed with anxiety and contemplation. Caesar Flickerman's happy tone filled the silence in the terrace.

"How do you like your stay in the Capitol, Relly? I heard one of the tributes caught your eye," Caesar offered the fourteen year-old a wink causing her to burn bright red.

"Was it really that obvious?" she whispered with wide eyes.

Relly received chuckles and coos from the audience who were enamored with her adorability.

"Oh, don't worry, Relly," Caesar laughed heartily. "It'll be our little secret."

This caused the crowd to groan in disappointment. After a little discussion of Relly's life back home, the buzzer sounded and she skipped out with a genuine smile. Up in the balcony, Franco could feel his hands sweating as he hastily wiped them on slacks. District Three was almost finished, and there was still no sign of Desiree Hawkins. If she did not come soon, not only she would be in trouble but Franco as well.

Soon enough, Terra Johansenn walked up on stage in bright, shimmering heels and a matching dress. After letting Caesar kiss her hand, she made herself comfortable on the chair across him. Franco drilled his eyes on the dark beauty though he could feel a pair burning a hole at the back of his head. Gulping, he tried to block everything else out to listen.

Caesar had started off with Terra's home life, only making the girl snort bitterly at the mention of her family.

"I take it you're not in good terms with your family then?" Caesar said with a hint of sadness in his tone. This caused the audience to give out sounds of grief as well.

"Nope," the fifteen year-old snorted. "But I'm not worried. When I'm done with these games, I'll be skipping home to the Victor's Village. That is if you guys _are_ going to sponsor me." Her narrowed, beady eyes turned to the Capitol citizens who only cheered slightly tensely in return.

"What about your training score, Terra? Any thoughts?"

This caused the dark-skinned female to raise her head to meet the crystal blue eyes of Franco Creswell. The Head Gamemaker held his gaze. She was openly glaring at him, but after a few seconds, she returned to Caesar. She had only shrugged as a reply but she bit her bottom lip as she released a low, hushed growl.

When Terra's time was done, her stoic, indifferent district partner lazily made his way to the chair Terra was once sitting in. Caesar was definitely having a hard time getting decent answers from him, but strangely, the Capitol found humor in his apathetic nature.

"So tell us about your training score!" Caesar hastily changed the subject from love interests when Reif simply stared back at him as if to say_, you've got to be kidding me?_

"Well, I beat Terra," he said with pride as he let a smirk grow on his face. Caesar grinned at finally being able to let the tribute show an ounce of emotion. The cameras focused on Terra who waited by the side, her face burning red and her eyes blazing.

Franco nearly smirked himself at achieving what he originally had planned in the first place. The Capitol would definitely love the tension in this. Sadly, he was not in his place to smirk as one of his gamemakers was currently missing and he was doing absolutely nothing at the moment. He could feel the glances his coworkers were shooting him from behind but he tried hard to ignore the feeling.

_Desiree is coming_; he tried to convince himself in his head. _She probably just got lost or something. She always gets lost._

When Drew Perrin practically bounced happily on her way to her seat, the Capitol cheered at her ecstatic personality, as they had to deal with Reif's very monotonous interview a few moments ago.

"Our very own Drew Perrin, everyone!" Caesar introduced the messy-haired girl who straightened her puffy yellow dress carefully before sitting down.

"Hi!" she said joyfully with an ear-splitting grin.

"Why, hello there!" Caesar said with a chuckle, smiling kindly back. "I've heard plenty about you, Drew."

"Have you?" Drew mused. "Well, I _am_ a tribute of the Hunger Games. You're bound to hear about me!"

"Well, I suppose I am," the red-haired host said with an agreeing nod. "So how did it feel to be reaped, Drew? I'm sure the girl you were speaking to in the recap was your sister, wasn't she?"

"Oh, that's just Avery," Drew said with a slightly sad look but her grin all the same.

As soon as Drew went into a whole monologue about her reaping, Franco felt someone tap his shoulder. Turning away from the chatty girl from Five, the Head Gamemaker twisted around to see Lewis leaning over his chair to whisper something once again. Unfortunately for him, Franco had no plans of listening to him anymore.

"Not now, Lewis," the younger of the two hissed.

"Franco, I'm warning you now," Lewis whispered urgently, actually using Franco's first name rather than the usual 'Mr. Creswell'. This meant a lot of things to Franco. The first two in his head were either Lewis had lost all respect to his Head or he was speaking as a friend.

"_What is it_?" Franco said through gritted teeth as he forced himself not to send vicious glares to his colleagues who glanced at his and Lewis' exchange.

"Vinny isn't who you think he is," Lewis said in an even softer tone, making sure nobody but Franco could hear him. "He's on to you and I don't know why. You need to get Desiree here before he uses this to get rid of you."

Before Franco could reply, Lewis leaned back on his seat and Caesar Flickerman's voice filled his ears once again just as he introduced Langston Calder.

"Langston! Nice to see you so dressed up! How does it feel like not to be in those rags you wore during the reaping?"

"Ah, well it's a good feeling," Langston replied timidly, fiddling with the hem of his suit jacket. "I've tried one on before though… Georgia let me… said it would look good…"

"Georgia?" Caesar piped up with a knowing smile. "Who's this _Georgia_? Is she someone special back home?"

Langston blanched as if mentioning Georgia had been a big mistake. With cheeks slightly red, he stared down at his lap.

"She's just a friend," he said. If there hadn't been a tiny microphone around his head, his voice that was merely a whisper would not have been heard by anyone.

"_Just_ a friend?" Caesar sent him a pointed look.

"Yeah," Langston said softly. "She'll always be _just_ a friend."

Sympathetic awes were heard from the audience causing the fifteen year-old to redden even more. Franco watched as he politely thanked and said farewell to the host and walked out of stage. When Macy Zimmer walked out looking very girly in pink, Franco felt his knuckles tighten on the edges of his chair once again. Memories of his fellow gamemaker breaking down at the mention of this tribute flooded his head. What had caused her to skip the interviews where a gamemaker was required to attend? What about Macy Zimmer was so special to her?

Just as Macy sat down, Franco stood up abruptly, causing the gamemakers around him to stare at his in shock. He made his way up a set of stairs, ignoring the watchful and stunned looks he was receiving. If any of them tattled about this, Franco knew he would be in big trouble. If Desiree hadn't showed up at all and Franco made no effort at all to look for her, he'd be in bigger trouble.

Outside the auditorium, speakers were placed all over the building and Franco could still listen attentively as he ran down sets of staircases to the bottom floor.

"Macy, I heard about your little episode in the Training Center," Caesar's voice boomed through the speakers. "Perhaps you can let everything out here. Maybe it'll help before you go in tomorrow."

Beads of sweat running down his face, Franco awaited the answer of the sixteen year-old as he impatiently hopped on the metal railing of the winding staircase and slid down with ease.

"I– I– I just…" her voice was choppy and extremely timid.

"Don't be shy, Macy," Caesar said kindly. "We're all here to listen, right everyone? Let's give the girl some encouragement!"

A loud roar of cheers erupted from the speakers making Franco jump in surprise, slipping off the railing, tripping and falling the rest of the way down to the ground floor. Landing on all fours, Franco disgruntledly pushed himself up on two feet and dusted himself off before striding into a well-lit but deserted hallway. Speakers still decorated the corners of the ceiling and Macy's voice filled the hallway with more confidence.

"I really miss my family and Max," she said with a sad sigh.

"Max? Is this a boy from home?" Caesar asked sounding very interested.

"Yes," she gushed though slightly nervous. "Yes, we've been with each other for so long. I miss him… so, so much."

At the end of the hallway, Franco's eyes widened at the line of remaining tributes who all stared up at a tiny television where Macy Zimmer was seen seated, her eyes slightly teary and her hands fumbling with the hem of her skirt. Franco's presence was not left unknown for long. He was too distracted to realize that the petite brunette from Eleven gasped at the sight of him, earning the attention of the rest of the tributes as well.

They all sent him reproachful looks. They knew him as the man who led an entire team of Capitol people to think of the best possible ways to kill them. He was the man who knew it all. He held all their lives in his palm. Nobody dared to speak, but they all stared and Franco stared back, not knowing how to react to their looks of absolute hatred.

When Percy Eden was called to stage, he did not hesitate to leave. Franco watched the tiny television as Percy walked up to Caesar, shook his hand and sat before him. The Head Gamemaker sighed in relief when the remaining tributes' eyes were focused on tribute currently on stage.

"Percy! I've heard very interesting things about you," Caesar said, his eyes glittering at he observed the seemingly wearied tribute. "Someone's told me you've joined the Careers! Oh, what fun!"

"Oh, yeah," he said with a lazy nod. "Yeah, it'll be fun; very, very fun indeed."

"So what do you think of your allies, Percy?" Caesar inquired.

"I don't _know_," Percy replied with a roll of his eyes. "I've been with them for like what, _two days_?"

"Ah well, how do you think anyone from back home will react?"

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be thrilled," he said lowly, sarcasm evident in his tone.

Franco turned his gaze away from the television to focus more on the tributes who were still lined up. It was impossible for any one of them to know where Desiree was, so he passed up the chance to ask any of them of her whereabouts. He didn't want to see the repulsive looks on their faces either when he would try to talk to them. But what they didn't know that Franco was not a filthy Capitol man that they thought he was. He was very, very far from that.

Just as the girl from Seven, Amelie Spaulding walked up to stage when Percy had gone, Franco strode past the line of remaining tributes to resume his search for his redheaded colleague. Surprisingly before he had entered another hallway, someone softly called him from behind.

"Mr. Creswell?"

Stiffened by shock, Franco twisted his neck around to see who had called him. It was the petite brunette from Eleven who had gasped when she saw him the first time today.

"Yes?" he said croakily, hoping he didn't sound too unprofessional.

"Are you looking for the girl with the red hair?" she asked. Many of the tributes in line sent her incredulous looks, probably thinking she was stupid for attempting to speak with the Head Gamemaker.

"Yes," Franco answered once again more firmly this time, his eyes filled with hope that this little girl knew where Desiree was. "I am."

"She passed by," the girl said and glanced up at her district partner. "Didn't she, Hunter? She went that way." She pointed to the hallway opposite the one Franco was about to walk into.

Her district partner blinked and stiffly nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," Franco said in complete sincerity, causing the other tributes to stare at him speechlessly.

After the little girl offered him a small smile, Franco made his way into the hallway she pointed to as the speakers boomed Caesar's laugh at one of Amelie Spaulding's answers. He began to speak to the girl from Seven once again.

"So Amelie, how are you feeling for tomorrow? Nervous? Excited?"

Amelie cheerfully chuckled. "Well, I thought I'd be more nervous actually, but now that I know it's tomorrow, I'm getting this weird feeling."

"So you're saying you have hope to become a victor then if you're not too nervous?" Caesar asked.

"I have hope," Amelie said; Franco could imagine her vigorously nodding at the tone of her voice. "My cousins from home give me hope. I know they have hope for me so I have hope for myself."

"That's very good to know, Amelie. How about the other tributes? You think you can take them?"

A sudden low and slightly sadistic laugh boomed through the speakers. Franco stopped walking in surprise at the sudden change of atmosphere. But the laugh stopped as soon as it started and Amelie's bubbly tone was back, answering the question smoothly as ever. Franco frowned. He knew there was definitely something up with that blonde. Shaking his thoughts away for a while, Franco continued his way through the annoyingly long hallway he was in.

Something in the back of his mind was bugging him though. It was like he had been in this hallway before. It was like his legs had a mind of their own and they knew the way to Desiree. Too into his thoughts, he had missed the interview of Spaulding's partner. When he finally managed to clear his ears from mental voices, Erizelda Morrison's voice flooded the hallway.

Franco then reached the end and he faced a large room where a couple of fluffy couches were set across each other. The floor was carpeted blood red, the color of Desiree's hair, which caused Franco to become more anxious. There was a desk filled of paperwork on the corner of the carpeted room and familiar blonde lady looked up at him in surprise.

"Mr. Creswell!" she gasped. "What are you doing here, sir? You're supposed to be in the interviews!"

The Head Gamemaker nearly slapped at himself. He knew that hallway because it led to his very place. This room he was in was where his secretary met guests who had appointments with him. There was a glass door right beside the desk and it led right into Franco Creswell's office. He was too into the possibility of getting punished if he didn't find Desiree that he didn't realize where exactly he was going.

The conversation of Caesar and Erizelda caught his eye, a large flat-screen television pasted on the wall by the couches. Erizelda was extremely beautiful as always. She wore an awfully short dress that matched the gold of her eyes and showed her long, unblemished legs. Her hair flowed down her back in luscious curls. The sight of her could have gotten even Franco drooling. He could imagine how the gamemakers in the balcony were reacting now.

"I must say, Erizelda," Caesar said, eyeing her up and down. "You look absolutely _stunning_."

"Oh, I do, don't I?" she said with a light laugh that sounded like singing angels from the speakers. "And please, it's Zelda."

"Well Zelda, you've certainly got all the men from the Capitol drooling," Caesar laughed heartily, causing the Capitol to cheer for the beautiful seventeen year-old.

"Oh, stop it," Zelda waved him off and sent a wink to the audience. "You flatter me, Caesar. You look rather dashing yourself."

The host thanked her for the compliment but immediately asked if she had any suitors. Surprisingly, she denied.

"The only man in my life is my brother, Xavier," she said and looked towards the camera and blew a kiss. "Say hi to Katarina for me, love!"

"Was that kiss for Xavier?" Caesar asked. "Because I'd like one for myself!" Many cheers from the men of the Capitol erupted.

Franco ripped his gaze away from the flat-screen television. This girl was good. She should have a handful of sponsors by now, most of them probably men. The Head Gamemaker then remembered why exactly he was here in the first place and swiftly turned to his secretary, his eyes darting from his office to the secretary's desk.

"Marlene, did anyone enter my office while I was gone?" Franco asked. The blonde turned from watching Zelda's interview to eyeing her boss curiously.

"No, I don't think so," she said; her Capitol accent was evident much like most his gamemakers, including Desiree. It sickened him, their accents. It was one thing he had to deal with during his stay in the Capitol.

"Did you leave at any time?" he pressed on.

"Well, I went for a bathroom break but that–"

This was enough information for Franco. He stormed into his office, ignoring his secretary's concerned calls. Pulling his door open rather harshly, his eyes scanned the square and surprisingly neat room. Everything was in place. His desk was set in the middle of the room and everything on it was untouched. The only thing peculiar that his own flat-screen was turned on to the interviews where Caesar was introducing Burton Howl.

"Hey, Caesar." Burton shook the host's hand enthusiastically with a large grin. "What's up?"

"Well, I am certainly ready to ask you how you got that very impressive seven as a training score!" Caesar said, matching his smile as he watched the fourteen year-old sit.

"Well, I'm not allowed to say that," Burton said rather cockily, "but I'm telling you now, I did pretty great."

"Did you?" Caesar said, glancing up at the gamemakers. "Perhaps the gamemakers would agree up there?"

Franco blanched. His hands shook involuntarily as his eyes were glued to the television where the cameras were still focused on Burton who was curiously staring up at the balcony.

"Hey…" he said, a small crease appearing in between his eyebrows. "Where's that guy who–"

"So Burton!" Caesar boomed, interrupting Burton's musing. Franco sighed in relief, a hand to his chest as he tried to calm his heartbeat.

"Yeah?" Burton turned back to Caesar, his hand messing up his hair.

"Tell us about your stay! What's caught your eye the most?"

"Oh, definitely the carpets," he said with a serious nod. "I swear I can spend the night on those things."

Franco slightly snickered to himself, but his gaze was ripped away from the television once again when he heard a cry of pain from under his desk. Eyes wide and his lips pursed, Franco briskly walked to the other side of his office and ducked down to check what exactly was happening beneath the wood. He could not say he was surprised to see Desiree Hawkins lying down on the carpeted floor in an attempt to hide herself from him.

He did not know if the feeling inside him was relief from finding her or absolute anger that she had gone here in the first place. He went with his second option.

"You absolute _idiot_!" Franco hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her up to her feet to face him. "_What in the world are you doing in my office_?"

"I– I was just–"

"Do you have any idea what would have happened if I didn't come look for you?" Franco continued to scold her, all the anger inside him rushing out of his mouth. "If anyone else finds out that you weren't in the auditorium to watch the interviews, you _will_ be punished, as will I!"

"I'm sorry!" she cried, ripping her arm away from her boss. "I just needed to look for something."

"What is that something?" Franco snapped, taking note of the television remote she was holding. "What's something you'd be able to find in my _office_?"

There was something in her steely eyes of hers that bothered Franco. The way she looked at him was different. It was she was looking at a totally different person. It was like she _knew_ that she was not looking at a man named Franco Creswell.

"I know what you are," she said in a mere whisper.

Those were the words Franco had dreaded to hear since he was eighteen years old. Those were the words that would reveal him to the whole of the Capitol. This ordinary redhead from the Capitol with the usual accent and the usual unnatural look found out what he was and she was no different with the reaction. He had expected this kind of reaction from any Capitol citizen and she was no different at all.

"That's great," Franco hoarsely said, refusing to show any form of weakness in front of this typical Capitol citizen. He glanced at the remote in her hand. "You found my tape then? You've been suspecting me ever since you met me. You probably snuck in my office to find something that would prove your suspicions and you found the tape of the reaping where I was supposed to volunteer in."

Desiree bit her bottom lip and did not answer, but Franco knew he was correct. She was not denying it because she knew he was right too.

"Go ahead and tell everyone," he said in a dangerous whisper. "Go up to that balcony and tell everyone there that I'm an illegal citizen of the Capitol because I snuck out of my district."

"I don't–"

"Desiree, _why are you still here_?" Franco growled in impatience. "I told you to go! Just _leave_!"

With a terrified squeak, the redhead dropped the remote on the wooden desk and scampered out of the office. Franco closed his eyes in fury, knowing that this was probably his end. Once they all found out, he would be called for a death sentence. Sneaking out of your district was punishable by death. The President could do nothing to help him now because he could not show his Capitol people that he would have mercy for a foolish district boy.

Not ready to face the horrified looks of his colleagues, Franco miserably threw himself to his office chair and turned his attention to the television where the girl from Ten was being interviewed, Colleen Reyna. She glowed in the bright silver of her knee-length dress though she timidly answered the questions Caesar asked her.

"I heard you're quite the artist, Colleen," Caesar said kindly. "Tell me, how did you learn?"

Rubbing her thumbs together, Colleen slowly lifted her head up to smile shyly at the host.

"I learned myself, I guess," she said very softly. "My little brother Dusty really likes art and I used to paint for him and–" She choked up and immediately stared back down at her lap, biting her lip as she tried not to cry.

"I'm sure Dusty is very proud that you've come this far, Colleen," Caesar patted her shoulder in a form of comfort.

"I'm sorry," Colleen said, looking back up. "I'm not ready. I– I'm really nervous and–"

"Oh, Colleen, there's no need to be nervous!" Caesar smiled. "Everyone loves you here, am I right? Who wouldn't love an artist in the Hunger Games?"

The crowd cheered for her and Franco watched as the buzzer sounded and Colleen scurried out of stage. As Caesar introduced her district partner, the ladies began to react rather wildly when a handsome blond made his way to the host with a small smile.

"Good day, Caesar." He shook Caesar hand firmly before taking a seat.

"Rowen! How are you?"

"It's getting pretty warm in here, don't you think?" Rowen commented innocently, slightly scowling at the suit he wore.

"Well, the ladies wouldn't mind if you took that off now, would they?" Caesar laughed as he caused the women in the crowd to shriek.

Rowen's cheeks had gone as red as Desiree's hair. Franco had begun to scowl at the thought of her.

"Oh, well, my wife would mind," Rowen said with a chuckle.

"Your _wife_?" Caesar said as he leaned forward in interest and the women in the crowd groaned in disappointment. "My, my, Rowen! Aren't you a bit too young to be married?"

"Well, she was my girlfriend for as long as I can remember," the blonde sighed dreamily. "We have twins, actually."

"Twins!" the host cried in shock. "Must be a handful, they are?"

"Oh, yes, very," Rowen nodded vigorously. He had started to become more comfortable with the talk of his family.

Just as the buzzer sounded and Rowen bid farewell to the crowd and Caesar, Olivia Thorne walked up the stage and Franco sat up on his chair in interest, recognizing her as the girl who had helped him find his redheaded colleague.

"Olivia Thorne! Pleasure to meet you, young lady!"

Grinning, Olivia sat down and faced Caesar as she awaited his questions.

"How has your stay in the Capitol been so far? Did you make any friends during training?" Caesar asked with a kind smile.

"Oh, yes!" Olivia replied. "I've made a few. They're the tributes from District Ten. They're very friendly."

"But you would want to become the victor, wouldn't you, Olivia?"

"Yes! Of course," she said without hesitation. "I have to return to my family. I must."

"You would anything to come back then?" Caesar asked curiously. "Must be very hard to be in an alliance this way."

"I would do _anything_," Olivia agreed with a nod. "My best friend died in the Hunger Games already. I cannot end up with the same fate."

"I wish you the best of luck then, Olivia Thorne."

The buzzer sounded and Olivia walked off the stage. She could not end up with the same fate as her best friend, she said. Franco could not end up like that as well, but he had no choice anymore. He could not hide in his office forever. This kind of cowardice was what caused him to lose his slot as a tribute. This kind of cowardice was what cost him his comfortable life back in his district.

Just as Hunter Vale was bombarded by questions from Caesar, Franco left his office and made his way back to the balcony through the unusually long hallway from his office, to the side of the stage where the tribute line had once been and to the winding staircase that Franco had fallen off a little while ago. He made his way up the slowest way possible, all the likely scenarios running through his head.

The first scenario was Lewis and Carter throwing him off the balcony to get his death over with. The second scenario was Desiree marching up on stage and revealing to all the citizens his real identity. The third scenario had something to do with Vinny Treshold though he still had no idea what Vinny would do to him. What did Lewis mean when he tried warning Franco of the ex-Head Gamemaker?

Reaching the top floor, Franco finally entered the terrace, a wave a cool air hitting him directly at his face. He didn't realize he took his sweet time getting up until he saw that it was Zach Quince's turn already on stage.

"A nine from the gamemakers! Is it really necessary to keep what he did from the rest of us?" Caesar pleaded up at the balcony of gamemakers.

Everyone on the terrace turned to look the blonde Head by the door. The spotlight suddenly lit on him and with wide eyes, he simply nodded his head at Caesar. Franco sighed in relief when the spotlight left him and returned to the tribute on stage.

"Well, I suppose those Careers better watch their backs then," Zach chuckled with his eyes glinting.

"Oh, I believe they should! You'll be very entertaining to watch, Zach. Do you have anything to say about what's going to happen tomorrow?"

The fourteen year-old shrugged. "I'll be gone from the Cornucopia before anyone knows it. You'll see how Burton and I will take over the games. The Careers are in for a real treat."

The buzzer sounded right at that moment and the citizens of the Capitol cheered for the boy from Twelve. After Caesar said his big farewell and his thanks, the cameras and the lighting by the stage had gone off and the audience began to file out, debating on who they wished to sponsor and betting on who would win.

Franco still stood by the door. He did not know what to do exactly. Should he speak to his colleagues as if nothing happened? That would make him seem like more of a fake if they already knew. Perhaps Desiree just wanted to torture him more by telling everyone while he was there.

Strangely, his fellow gamemakers just passed by him like usual. They offered him their usual nods and murmurs of 'Mr. Creswell'. Lewis had grinned at him and patted him on the shoulder as he congratulated him for actually finding Desiree without anyone else noticing. Carter said the same thing. Both gamemakers left the balcony together and soon enough, only Desiree was left there with a guilty look on her face.

"You didn't tell anyone," Franco stated in apparent shock as he fought the relieved smile that was about to grow on his face.

"I wasn't planning to," Desiree said softly and suddenly lifting her head up with pleading eyes. "I'm really sorry for going through your stuff. I was really curious to what you really are and where you came from and–"

"It's quite alright," Franco said awkwardly eyeing her, silently praying that she wouldn't start crying again. "Someone was bound to find out anyway. I don't speak or look like a Capitol man. Anyone would have found out if I weren't Head Gamemaker. It's why I got the job. The President knew if I was in a high position, no one would question me."

"I'm glad he's helping you."

The blonde Head Gamemaker offered the redhead a rare, genuine smile, making the corners of his eyes crinkle as they lost the usual essence of cruelty in them. For a second, Desiree saw past the outer sheet of his being that fooled others of thinking him as a man of the Capitol. She finally saw the weariness of training on his handsome face and the scars around his arms made much more sense now.

After another full second, the hardness in his eyes returned and the sheet had thickened in front of her. His smile had disappeared and his lips were in a firm line. He ran a hand through his pale hair as he attempted to flatten it with no good results.

"Get some rest tonight, Hawkins," he said earnestly. "We've got a big day tomorrow."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Desiree murmured with a roll of her eyes.

With one last nod, Franco swiftly stepped out of the balcony and jogged down the staircase, leaving Desiree staring after him looking quite pleased with herself.

* * *

**That was a long chapter. Hope you liked my version of the interviews! I apologize if the interview of your tribute was kind of short but I just focused on a few questions and answers. This was planned out by me a long time ago. It was really supposed to be that way.**

**Next chapter is the reveal of the arena and the bloodbath! There will be interesting twists there as well. Tell me what you think in a review! Till next time!xx**

**~jess**


	21. The Bloodbath

_**The Bloodbath**_

* * *

In the Control Room, there was mayhem. Gamemakers hopped from corner to corner, making sure everything was in place. A cool woman's voice echoed in the bright chamber, informing the gamemakers of the whereabouts of the tributes. Everyone was going from place to place as they looked for any mistakes and put necessary corrections on the arena. Only Franco Creswell, who stood on his place in the room, was still, his head high as the wide screen in front of him nearly blinded his eyes.

The screen focused on the Cornucopia and the twenty-four holes around it where the pedestals were about to rise any second then. The vast field that held the Cornucopia was rather colorful which did not match Franco's personality at all. It was rather odd to think that Franco Creswell had come up with the vibrant idea. But like any other arena of the Hunger Games, there was a twist.

The ground of the stadium consisted of a mix of pure white fully bloomed tulips and blood red ones. Soil was barely seen beneath the sheet of flowers over the earth. Their stems were not seen either as if they were fully covered by the ground. Strangely, there were more white tulips than red. The red ones formed a strange pattern amidst their white companions. Surrounding the Cornucopia and a little behind the pedestals, red tulips were grouped together in circles with the white tulips surrounding them. A large number of red spheres spread across the entire arena. What could these red spheres possibly do?

From the ground as well were fully grown trees with a wide variety of exotic flowers decorating its rich green leaves. These strange flowers could possibly do more harm than good, but the tributes did not know that. The arena was relatively flat. There was not a single hill or mountain in sight, though the ground would rise towards the edges to conduct the flow of the water in the streams running across the floral ground. Little did the tributes know that under this magnificently crafted arena might just be the cause of their destruction.

"Just hope none of them think you're a queer after seeing all this," Lewis suddenly snorted beside Franco, gesturing to the flowery arena projected in front of them.

"Oh, I'm sure they won't think it's too girly once they see the whole theme of this," Franco replied with a small smirk.

"Oh, yeah," Carter suddenly joined in, taking his place on Franco's other side. "The flower theme would _totally_ show 'em how manly this year's Head Gamemaker is."

Before Franco could snap back his response, the cool woman's voice boomed in the Control Room, making everyone freeze in place.

"Tributes are rising on their pedestals. Countdown will begin in three, two, one–"

Pushing his fellow gamemakers to their places, Franco ordered everyone to stay in position as he jammed his thumb on the red button by the long, glass table before him. With a press of a simple button, the countdown began; the woman's voice echoed in monotone as she counted down from fifty.

* * *

_Fifty… Forty-nine… Forty-eight… Forty-seven… Forty-six…_

Each tribute stood readily on their pedestals. The Careers had their game faces on as they scanned the vine-made Cornucopia with unusual plants decorating its outer shell. Covering the walls of the inside were different kinds and sizes of weapons. On the pure white ground surrounding it were bunch of crates situated far from each other and scattered around. Rucksacks of different sizes and colors were also dispersed before the pedestals of each tribute.

While all the eyes of the Careers were trained on the weapons, Percy Eden stared wide-eyed at the arena, taking in every single detail from it. His eyes darted from the strange Cornucopia made of thick vines to the peculiar ground that consisted of flowers colored red and white. His eyes narrowed at the red spheres situated in an equal distance from each other as they were positioned by the borderline of the vibrant forest.

A few pedestals to Percy's right, Amelie Spaulding was too mesmerized by the beauty of the arena to think straight. _Snap out of it_, she would tell herself. She was one of the first from the outer districts to finally rip her eyes away from the hypnotizing beauty and her eyes focused on the Cornucopia like the Careers did. There were a variety of axes near the mouth of the Cornucopia. If she ran across the field fast enough, it would give her enough time to snatch one and a backpack or two. Slowly, a smirk grew on her face. These Careers would not know what hit them.

On the other side of the field, Relly Jay's eyes darted from Drew to Langston who were both gazing at different ends of the forest. She desperately wanted to scream for them and ask which direction they would be heading, but that obviously was not an option. She bit her lip in anxiety and shut her eyes tight as the woman's counting echoed in her head.

_Eighteen… Seventeen… Sixteen… Fifteen…_

Unfortunately for Burton Howl, Zach Quince's pedestal was situated opposite his. He concluded in his head that the gamemakers had something to do with this. Luckily, the pair already had a plan if this were to happen. Burton just needed to ready his legs, as he would do quite an amount of running.

Erizelda Morrison on the other hand was getting quite impatient. Like her district partner, she had a plan for the bloodbath. She did not plan on going through these games alone. Her desire to join the Careers still stood, and she did not realize how desperate she was until that last ten seconds on her pedestal. She needed to join them. It was the only way of survival for her. They held the upper hand and Zelda absolutely refused to settle with someone lower than them. She was always on top, and she would continue being there in the Hunger Games.

_Nine… Eight… Seven…_

Most tributes had gone out of their hypnotized state that was caused by the beauty of the arena. Some tried making eye contact with allies, some were simply itching to finally run and some were going absolute mad already, their heads wildly spinning around to find the quickest way out.

_Five… Four…_

The grin on the faces of most Careers seemed so out of place amidst the looks of absolute terror on the faces of the tributes from the outer districts. The training in their lives led up to this moment. In three seconds, they were about to show the whole world what they have been spending their lives on for the past years in their district.

_Three…_

_Two…_

…_One_

It had been a blur. Ears seemed to have been blocked off by the overwhelming fear the tributes felt. Legs had minds of their own as they ran in any direction possible for safety. Unexpectedly, the tulips that made the ground did not make it harder for the tributes to pass. In fact, it simply felt like they were running through a grassy field. Unfortunately even though it felt that way, it was not that easy.

Burton, Olivia and Colleen almost immediately jumped off their pedestals but as Olivia and Colleen ran west, Burton proceeded north towards the Cornucopia. Many would think he was absolutely insane, but he knew what to do. He zoomed past Beckham Lester from Three who had been standing in the middle of the field with no idea what to do. After a split second of thought, Beckham bolted after Burton towards the Cornucopia, tailing him.

"_What the hell_?" Burton cried in annoyance when he spotted Beckham following him. The curly-haired fourteen year-old picked up the pace, but did not manage to shake off the younger tribute.

Meanwhile, Olivia and Colleen sprinted towards the forest, crushing tulips after each pounding step. They neared the edge of the forest and Olivia could feel the adrenaline pumping inside her. She was going to make it out. She and Colleen were going to be safe soon.

Very suddenly, Olivia, who had been running ahead of her older companion, stepped on one of the red spheres made of blood-colored tulips. With a strangled scream, Olivia completely sunk in the circle as if it were an enhanced version of quick sand. Colleen let out a wail of shock, stumbling back just in time before stepping into the red sphere herself. Before she could fall back, Rowen, who had been following the two girls, caught her by her arms and dragged her around the sphere to run deep into the forest.

In the Cornucopia, Necali had been the first to reach it. He glanced at the scene before him and smirked when more than half of the tributes were still present. The field of the Cornucopia had been bigger than he thought. Without hesitation, Necali picked seven knives, holding them all with one hand. Seven had been his lucky number and it never failed him then. He turned to scan the field of his first victim and spotted Braeden Rexler from Nine who was taking all the bags he could carry. With one swift movement, Necali's first knife soared through the air and sunk in between his eyes, ending his life in a second.

Sapphire had reached the Cornucopia after him and grinned at his presence.

"Good luck." Necali grinned back at her and tossed her one of the broadswords he had seen her use back in the Academy of One.

After one last nod as she caught the sword, Sapphire chased after Miles Palmer from Seven who had successfully stolen two backpacks. Necali was caught off-guard when Burton Howl slid past his legs in the Cornucopia. The boy from Eight tumbled once over the tulips and was back on his feet in record time. He escaped through the back entrance of the Cornucopia and darted towards the forest, opposite the pedestal he had been standing on a few moments ago. Necali barely had time to lift his hand with a knife to kill him. He had been too quick.

At the front entrance of the Cornucopia, Beckham Lester foolishly followed Burton into the weapon-filled shelter. Before he could step in though, a hand grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back. Ares Hammersmith effortlessly tore a loose vine from the walls of the Cornucopia and wrapped it around Beckham's neck. Pulling fiercely at the ends, Beckham was choked to death, falling forward at Ares' feet.

After snatching a dagger, Terra made her way to the field, chasing after the girl from Nine, Payton Garner. The petite thirteen year-old was fast, Terra could admit that, but she must have been dreaming to actually think she could escape without Terra's dagger sinking in her throat. Just as Terra was finally gaining on her, a knife from Necali soared past the fifteen year-old's running figure and sunk deep into Payton's arm.

Surprisingly, Payton managed to stay standing with the knife in her arm but her speed lessened greatly. Smirking, Terra finally caught up with the girl, gripping the handle of the used knife and twisted it harshly. Payton screamed in pain as Terra chuckled darkly. The girl from Four finally let her dagger sink in her chest with another twist and the thirteen year-old fall forward on the tulips, her blood staining the pure white of the flowers.

Near the middle of the field, Macy Zimmer and Rose Adams fought over a blue rucksack. It was one of the few that were left a good distance away from the Cornucopia and neither of the two girls even thought of taking the risk of stepping nearer the inner circle.

"_Give–it–to–me_!" Rose hissed through gritted teeth, pulled harder at the rucksack. For once, Macy stood her ground and did not give up. She shook her head furiously at the blonde.

The bags cover flipped open in the struggle and Rose spotted the handle of a knife popping out of the rucksack. Eyes glittering with an idea, Rose tugged the bag to her once more and pulled the knife out of it in the process. This remaining unknown to Macy, she pulled the bag towards her once again but this time, Rose let go. The older of the two fell back on the ground with the rucksack in hand. Her eyes widened when Rose towered over her with the knife in hand. She was going to be killed, and she could do nothing about it. Squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to block out the voices in her head, she waited for Rose's knife to sink in her.

Gasping, Macy felt Rose fall forward on her. The sixteen year-old quickly pushed herself backwards and let Rose's unmoving body fall on the white tulips. Macy's heart skipped a beat in complete gratitude when she saw Percy standing before her with a bloody flail in hand. He breathed heavily and his face was coated with sweat as stared down at his kill. Suddenly, his eyes snapped up to meet Macy's and if possible, his face had gone paler.

"_What are you still doing here_?" he screamed over the noise of the bloodbath. "_Go! Go, Macy; just go_!"

Macy returned to her senses and followed Percy's orders. Picking the knife up from Rose's grasp, the sixteen year-old sprinted into the forest. Little did she know that while Percy stayed rooted on his spot, silently hoping she'd make it in the forest alive, Necali had seen the whole exchange. Fuming, the blonde Career from One whipped his arm forward to throw his third knife. It soared past Percy's head, but Macy had been too far already. The knife sunk in on the ground, a few meters from Macy's running figure. She continued to run until her foot landed on one of the red spheres and she sunk in almost immediately, her screams for help muffled by the blood red tulips.

Hunter Vale had seen Macy Zimmer sink in the ground. He did not know where it led to, but it was a much better option than getting skinned alive by one of the Careers. Hunter sprinted to one of the red spheres by the edge of the forest. He had gone so close that he almost thought he had a chance. Unfortunately, it was not as easy as it seemed and Terra Johansenn appeared in front of the sphere he was about to jump into, her ally and district partner Reif by her side.

"Oh, look here," Terra taunted, her dagger glinting dangerously in the sun. "We've got Eleven trying to run."

"Cool," Reif said, unconcerned as he examined the end of the javelin he held.

"Shall I kill him?" Terra grinned.

"Uh, why are you asking for my permission? Can't you do it on your own?" Reif replied with a roll of his eyes. His district partner growled at his antics.

Hunter was frozen. He had lost hope so long ago already. No way would these Careers let him make it out alive. Suddenly, he felt a searing pain in his right thigh. Gasping in agony, fell forward on all fours, trying to block out the pain the best he could.

"Partage, what the _fuck_ are you doing?" Terra growled at the brunette from Two who was a few feet away with her bow and arrows.

"You were taking too long," Kellisa shot back. "Now kill him before I decide to."

Muttering curses under her breath, Terra sliced Hunter's stomach open with a sadistic look in her eyes. Blood rushed out quickly and Hunter's face had gone pale from blood loss.

"Don't worry, Eleven," Terra whispered in his ear. "I'll still take you where you wanted to go in the first place."

Just as Hunter died, a tear slipped out of his left eye as Terra ordered for Reif to throw him in the red sphere. Unfortunately for her, Reif had gone somewhere else and she was forced to do it on her own.

A trio who like Hunter who had been making their way to a red sphere caught Reif's attention. The trio consisted of Relly, Drew and Langston. They had seen how the red spheres worked, and they decided to try it out. Drew mentioned that the gamemakers wouldn't just kill tributes that easily. If anything, these spheres would take them somewhere else, which was why tributes kept disappearing once they stepped in.

"I don't like this," Langston said uncertainly as he approached one of the red spheres.

"Come on!" Drew said looking rather excited. "I'll go in first, but you two have to promise me you'll go down after."

Relly and Langston exchanged looks, but nodded anyway. With a grin, Drew hopped into the sphere and she sunk in as if someone had pulled her from below. Within a second, Drew was gone and Langston gulped in anxiety. What if Drew was already dead?

"Go Langston," Relly urged him on. "I'll go after, I swear."

Nodding slowly, Langston hesitantly lifted his leg and lightly placed his foot on the red tulips. Like Drew, he immediately sunk in. He let out a yell but it was soon quiet as his head disappeared down under as well.

It was only Relly now, and she was thinking of just running into the forest that was just behind the red sphere or jumping in after Langston. Drew and Langston would definitely hate her if they were still alive and she left them because she was just a coward. For a moment, Relly wished she were as adventurous and free-spirited as Drew who could take risks.

Shaking slightly, Relly pushed herself off the ground with her small feet and jumped into the hole. Mid-air, a javelin came soaring out of the corner of her eye and sunk in her thigh. She screamed painfully just as she sunk in the hole and after a moment, the screaming was gone and Reif stood nearby looking pleased with himself.

On the other side of the field near the edge of the north forest, Sapphire dueled with Miles Palmer with a wicked smile on her face. All Miles held was a short, blunt knife he had pulled out from one of the rucksacks he had gotten. Sapphire was having far too much fun to kill him so easily, so she pretended to duel him first.

"Wow, you're so good with that!" Sapphire cackled as she gestured to his weapon. "Where did you learn to be _such_ a good knife-wielder? You're like in Necali's level now, aren't you?"

"Just kill him, Sapphire," Ares suddenly called out from the back entrance of the Cornucopia where he held his own sword. "Kill him now, or I'll do it myself."

Pouting, Sapphire finally sunk her sword in Miles' chest and he fell back with blood seeping through his soaked tee.

"You ruin all the fun, Ares!" Sapphire snapped, turning from the dying boy to face her blonde ally but instead of Ares, she found herself staring open-mouthed at another blonde, particularly the blonde from Seven with an axe in hand.

"_Necali_!" she managed to scream out in desperation, her sword slipping out of her grasp.

The last she had seen of Amelie Spaulding was her sudden whip of her right arm and the axe spun through the air and sunk in Sapphire's stomach, making her fall on the ground of tulips beside the boy she had just killed.

"_Sapphire_!"

The moment Amelie decided to kill the Career; she knew what consequences she would suffer. But watching her district partner die in front of her had triggered something in Amelie and it made her act without thinking. It was a very rash decision, and the moment Sapphire called for her district partner, she immediately regretted sneaking in the Cornucopia when Ares ran out to join the killing once again. She should have just sprinted in the forest like everyone else. It was too late for that though, and Amelie knew it.

The blonde district partner of Sapphire appeared looking disheveled and worry etched on his bony face. His eyes darted from his groaning partner on the ground, to Amelie who stayed rooted on her spot, her limbs completely stiff. The moment Amelie's eyes met Necali Reinerston's green ones, she just had one thought in her head: _run_.

"_Come back here, you filthy piece of District Seven scum_!" Necali, absolutely enraged, pulled out his fourth knife and threw it with deadly accuracy at Amelie who was sprinting into the forest. If Amelie had not ducked, the knife would have sunk in her blonde head.

Yelling out a curse at his miss, Necali threw his fifth knife. Amelie was almost there. She was only a few meters from the first tree. Before running further though, the knife zoomed past her ear and slashed her cheek making her fall forward on the ground. A loud cry of anger filled Amelie's ears and in instinct, she immediately rolled to her side and Necali's sixth knife sunk in the ground where her body was positioned a second ago before she had moved.

Panting heavily and a side-stitch burning a whole in her stomach, Amelie forced herself to get up and continue sprinting into the forest. Necali had only one knife left. He could not miss. This was his last chance at this moment. His eyes watched as she finally managed to enter the boundaries of the forest. Desperate to kill, Necali threw his arm forward and the knife cut through the air. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. A string of sweaty, blonde hair swayed tauntingly before his eyes as the knife aimed directly for her head.

Before the knife sunk it its target, Amelie sidestepped a tree and ran in a completely different direction as she delved deeper into the forest. The knife sunk in the tree Amelie avoided instead with a loud thud.

Necali angrily buried his face into his hands. "_Fuck_!" he screamed in absolute anger.

He missed this chance to kill the girl who had killed one of his best friends. Her blonde head was no longer seen from where stood but he vowed he would find her and kill her in the most cruel and sadistic way possible. Amelie Spaulding would not escape him again.

"Guys, she's dying."

The sound of Percy's slightly worried tone snapped Necali's head up and he briskly walked to his old friend who still breathed with much difficulty. Blood poured out of her stomach and stained the pure white tulips she laid on. The entire field was quiet except for Sapphire's heavy breathing and muffled sobs. The bloodbath had finished and dead bodies of tributes were littered around the Cornucopia. Behind the back entrance of the vine-made shelter and near the boundaries of the north forest, the Careers gathered around their dying ally.

"Necali, you better kill that bitch," Sapphire said weakly through gritted teeth.

Necali knelt beside his friend, nodding his head firmly at her words.

"I can't believe I'm dying in the bloodbath," she whispered, slowly losing consciousness.

"You killed her district partner, Sapphire," Kellisa suddenly spoke, her eyes filled with grief as she stared down at her ally. She was not all that bad, compared to everyone else. She was much better company than Ares or Terra. She didn't want Sapphire to go so soon.

"'Suppose I did," Sapphire chuckled to herself but immediately wincing at the pain in her stomach. "I got one kill."

"You did get one kill," Necali nodded furiously, his hands gripping Sapphire's tightly.

Just as Sapphire opened her mouth to speak again, cannons boomed in the distance making the Careers jump in surprise. They each counted in their head the number of cannons.

_One, two, three, four, five, six_…

There was a sudden pause and finally, the seventh cannon boomed. Seven was Necali's lucky number. Quite ironic as the only person he could actually trust and his old friend was the seventh and last kill in the bloodbath.

After a while, the Careers began to leave one by one and examined their resources in the Cornucopia. Only Necali was left seated beside the dead body of his district partner as he began to think of ways to kill that stupid blonde from Seven. Little did he know that in a distance, a beautiful brunette was peeking behind a tree, watching the scene before her in awe.

She did not realize that Necali of all people would actually show that kind of grief over a person. He was human, just like everyone else here. She wanted to reveal herself so bad already, but she figured it would be too early for a new member. If she suddenly walked up to them, Necali would probably pull out an eight knife and kill her in a heartbeat. She didn't want that, so she decided to stay behind the tree, sitting on the flowerbed of white tulips as she watched the Career tributes from her spot.

"Later, Zelda," she whispered to herself. "Talk to them later."

* * *

**So I got excited and I was in the zone of writing... Here's the bloodbath everyone! Yay! As this starts the games, I'll give you the results of the poll. Ares and Zelda get three votes each. Next with two votes are Kellisa, Percy, Burton, Rowen, Colleen and Zach. Necali, Reif, Terra, Amelie, Hunter and Olivia have one each.**

**Hope you liked this chapter. I know two of the characters here were not BB tributes but I needed more to die in the bloodbath and they were the ones I chose. Hope you guys like the arena as well. I'm going to go into more detail with this in the next chapters.**

**RIP extra tributes made by me, Rose and Hunter. I'm going to miss Sapphire... Till next time, everyone! :-)**

**EDIT: Just a question. What do you guys think of the theme Franco was going for in this chapter? No, it's not just flowers. It's mentioned in the chapter though quite subtly. :)**

**~jess**


	22. Tainted Innocence

_**Necali Reinerston (18–D1) Ares Hammersmith (18–D2) Kellisa Partage (16–D2)**_

_**Reif Larken (18–D4) Terra Johansenn (15–D4) Percy Eden (16–D6)**_

* * *

After the bloodbath, the Careers had decided to let Necali mourn for his loss before they went out to hunt. Terra and Reif would have said no, but they were against Ares, Kellisa and Percy. Kellisa genuinely felt sorry for the boy from One and his ally so she was the one who suggested the idea in the first place. Ares strangely did not want to go anywhere without his district partner–perhaps the death of Necali's district partner had opened all their eyes that having their partner here in the arena was a big deal. Percy just did not want to go hunting and would delay it as much as possible. He had killed one girl already.

The group of tributes sat outside the front entrance of the Cornucopia. They had opened a crate of biscuits a few moments ago and it wouldn't hurt to eat a few. They had an entire supply of resources to last them the whole Hunger Games anyway. They did not really worry about the rest of the tributes. In their heads, they were too cowardly to even take a step outside the forest and in this field.

Before them, the field of pure white tulips was clean again. About an hour ago, blood stained its fresh petals but bizarrely, the flowers seemed to have cleaned themselves and the blood was gone as soon as it came. While the rest of the Careers chatted amiably about the tributes they had killed, Percy's eyes narrowed at the red spheres surrounding the borderline of the vibrant forest.

"Where do you think the tributes had gone?" Percy suddenly asked, causing the others to turn to him in slight surprise.

"What are you talking about?" Ares said with a roll of his eyes. "They're all in the forest. Where else would they be?"

"Under us."

"No, I don't think they're under us," Reif spoke up, his eyes narrowing at the red spheres like Percy.

"Where else would they be?" Percy asked. "You've seen how they just sink in like it's quick sand. They can't be dead. There would have been a ton more booms from cannons if they did."

"If there was something underground, it would make things a whole lot more complicated for the gamemakers. It would be like two arenas. We Careers practically rule the killing in this game. If they're just stuck down there, they'll all probably die of starvation. No way will they kill each other unless we're there."

Percy raised an eyebrow at the boy from Four. He did have a point. What kind of Hunger Games would it be without the Careers? They'd just hide from each other and let themselves die on their own. No, perhaps there wasn't an underground arena, but there was definitely something underground.

"What if they're expecting us to go after them down there?" Percy inquired. "It's possible, isn't it?"

"Okay, if you want to go on an adventure in an underground place which we've never even seen or heard about, then be my guest, Percy," Reif said in a drawling tone.

"So you think they really don't expect any of us go after them if there were an underground arena?"

Reif shook his head. "We're not _that_ stupid."

Standing up, the boy from Six made his way to the nearest red sphere. From the corner of his eye, he could see the rest of his allies get up on their feet as well and followed him. Once Percy reached the sphere, he was careful to put a good distance away from him and the first circle of red tulips.

"All right, genius," Terra snapped at Rief who stood beside Percy before the sphere. "What's so special about this thing then?"

"Oh, there are a ton of things special about this thing," her district partner answered her with a smirk. He knelt down before the red tulips and saw that they were covered with drops of what looked like regular water. Reif noticed how the white tulips were completely dry.

"What do you think that is?" Necali suddenly piped in the conversation, making his allies twist to face him. It was the first time he had spoken since his district partner had died.

"Well it's certainly not drinking water," Reif answered him, his smirk gone as a crease appeared in between his dark eyebrows.

"There's no underground arena, is there?" Percy knelt around the border of the red sphere beside Reif. "They're somewhere here. These things probably transported them somewhere else. That's probably why there are a ton of these spheres around."

"I can see another from here," Ares grunted, raising his arm to point at a red sphere in the forest that was still seen from where the Careers stood in the field of the Cornucopia.

With a weary sigh, Reif lifted himself up to his feet. He swaggered up to the Cornucopia to take his spear. The rest of the Careers followed him back. Ares tilted his head to give him a watchful eye as his ally collected his weapons. Kellisa was the one who questioned the boy from Four for his actions though. Standing near the front entrance of the Cornucopia, Kellisa leaned casually against the soft, vine-made wall of their shelter and raised her eyebrows at her dark-haired companion.

"What are you doing?" she questioned. The rest of her allies watched their exchange with both curiosity and interest.

"We're going hunting," Reif answered easily, straightening up with his spear in hand. "Unless, someone has a good enough reason to stay here as if we're puny tributes in hiding."

A frown immediately formed on the brunette's face just as Terra burst into laughter.

"Necali lost his partner, Larken," Kellisa hissed. "How dare you even–"

"Kellisa, it's fine," Necali interrupted, as he faced the wall of weapons. He picked out seven knives once more with a determined look on his face. "Reif is right. We've lingered here for far too long."

The determination on his face was simply a mask of the gratitude he had genuinely felt for Kellisa. So far, she had been the most decent Career in the pack besides Sapphire. It was very warming to know that she was willing to stay just to let him grieve for his loss. But another thing he knew was that Reif had been right. They were like cowards, hiding in the Cornucopia when they were supposed to be hunting by now. Besides if he were lucky, he'd meet Seven on the way.

The Careers readied with their weapons. Kellisa made sure she had enough arrows in her sheath for the trip and left an entire load back in the shelter. Ares let a grin grow on his face once he picked out the sword he had concluded was the deadliest. Terra didn't take long in choosing her dagger. She kept the one she had used twice in the bloodbath, dried blood decorating its silver blade. Necali shoved his knives in his thick jacket and met everyone before the western side of the forest.

With Percy keeping watch of the Cornucopia, Reif led them to a particular red sphere. His eyes glittered with excitement as he stared down at the glossy rosy petals.

"Why this one?" Terra asked, uncertainly eyeing the sphere.

"I saw that group of three kids jump in here," Reif answered with a sadistic smile. "I injured the kid from Three before she sunk in."

"Let's get in then," Ares demanded, taking a step nearer. "You're sure this doesn't lead underground?"

"Positive."

From his spot before the front entrance of the Cornucopia, Percy watched as they each jumped in the red sphere. He almost wished it indeed led them underground so he wouldn't have to see them again. He knew though that it was more likely that it led them somewhere else, though with a price.

* * *

_**Relly Jay (14–D3) Drew Perrin (15–D5) Langston Calder (15–D5)**_

* * *

The agonizing pain had lasted the whole way underground. Relly felt a living vine enclosed around both her ankles as she was pulled through what seemed like a wide tunnel. She could not open her eyes as it felt as though she was being squeezed into a tunnel filled with thick tree roots and vines. She could not keep track of the direction she was going either as the pain had already gone through her head.

After what felt like a lifetime, the tunnel spat her out from another red sphere and into the arena again. She tumbled clumsily on the ground of fresh, white tulips and finally opened her eyes. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of a familiar place. She had been right. She _was_ in the arena. Drew had been correct as well. They were transported somewhere else. They were no longer in the bloodbath.

The excruciating pain had blocked her head from thoughts once again. Remaining on the soft, flowery ground, Relly curled up in a ball, tears stinging in her eyes. She tilted her head down and observed the wound behind the tears. The javelin had lodged itself pretty well into her thigh. The skin around the wound had gone deadly white, almost purple. Blood seeped out like a water stream and stained the pure white of the tulips she laid on.

"_Relly_!"

A loud cry came from behind the curled up fourteen year-old. Drew ran over to her ally in pain and immediately knelt down to inspect her wound. Langston came jogging behind her, genuine concern etched across his face.

"What happened?" Drew demanded, her hand enclosing around the handle of the javelin. With a soft tug, Relly immediately screamed out in pain. The older of the two shushed the other impatiently. "This is the only way we can treat it, Relly. Please, we have to get it out."

"Four did it," Relly managed to speak in no more than a whisper as a combination of sweat and tears ran down her pale face. "Reif… He threw it…"

With one last tug, Drew managed to force the tip of the javelin out of Relly's thigh. Langston tried to calm Relly in hushed tones as she bit her lip in intense pain. If even possible, more blood began to flow out of the wound once the weapon was out. Drew gasped at the sight of the raw flesh of Relly's injury. The fifteen year-old's face had gone almost as pale as Relly's. She covered her mouth as if she was about to throw up and turned her eyes away from the sight.

"How is it?" Relly immediately asked, her eyes widening at her ally's sudden reaction.

"Oh my God, it's _bad_," Drew's muffled voice came from the inside of her mouth.

"Drew, what's wrong with it?" Langston demanded though hesitating to take a look himself.

"Look!" she exclaimed, completely shutting her eyes now as she pointed at Relly's wound.

With shaking hands, Langston crawled towards Relly's thigh. He had prepared his eyes for the worst and he had seen that indeed. He gasped and choked on his own saliva at the sight. The wound had somehow grown even bigger once Drew pulled the javelin out. It was now the size of the palm of his hand and the edges of the wound seemed to be sizzling as though it was being cooked. The flesh inside was the worst to see. Bloody and thick, white foam seemed to have been filling the injury. In a fast rate, the wound was getting deeper. It seemed as if the white foam ate up Relly's flesh and continued to dig in a hole in her wound.

"What's happening?" Relly sobbed, catching a glimpse of the white foam that seeped out of her thigh with blood. "Why does it hurt so much?"

"It's poison," Langston concluded, his gaze away from the wound and to the red sphere they came out of.

"_What_?"

"There's no other explanation," Langston told Drew, standing up and making his way to the sphere.

"Are you meaning to tell me that the javelin Reif used was _poisoned_?" Drew said in absolute disgust as she moved to followed Langston.

"No, stay with Relly!"

Drew stayed where she was as she watched her district partner approach the red sphere. He knelt down beside it and let his hand brush along the tips of the fully bloomed red tulips. At first, a look of confusion surpassed his dark features. Then he turned to examine his hand and saw it completely soaked with thick, transparent liquid. Drew's eyes widened put immediately turned her gaze away from Langston to tilt her head down at Relly who moaned in pain.

"It's going to be okay, Relly," Drew tried to assure her as she pushed the little girl down by her shoulders. "We're going to get you healed."

"I'll get healed?" she asked with a flash of hope materializing momentarily across her eyes.

"You will," Drew nodded ferociously, her heart breaking at the sight of her ally in absolute pain. She did not deserve this kind of agony at all.

The fifteen year-old lifted her head up when Langston returned with his soaking hand. He frowned down at it as if he was trying to figure out what it was. Drew though knew exactly what lay on his palm.

"That's the poison, Langston!" Drew snapped. "Why are you touching it?"

"I know," Langston said dejectedly. "I can't feel it; the poison, I mean. Why can't I feel it? Shouldn't I be able to feel it?"

Drew stared incredulously at him. The confusion on his face and tone had proved to Drew that he wasn't lying. It was thick liquid on his hand. Why was he saying he couldn't feel it?

Relly's moans snapped her out of her suspicions though and she immediately examined her wound once more. She gasped in terror when the wound had impossibly gone worse than it was before. It was much deeper and bloodier that Drew couldn't take the sight.

"Langston, I don't know what to do!" Drew exclaimed frightfully.

"I– I don't think there's anything we can do." Langston miserably watched his ally on the ground. "Let's just… let's take her somewhere else. Don't put her here out in the open."

With a nod, Drew forced herself up to her feet. Langston knelt down to take the fourteen year-old in his arms. The two trudged along the floral ground; Relly's gasps filling their ears as they did. Before they could find a good place though, Relly weakly called for both of their attentions.

"Don't even start, Relly," Drew snapped, her eyes filling with tears. "We're going to take you somewhere and you're going to live."

Relly sadly shook her head at her ally. Her breathing had slowed dramatically. She grew heavier in Langston's arms. She tried to offer Drew a smile, but a sob escaped her lips instead.

"You're going to stay together, okay?" she said feebly. "No matter what happens, just stay together and you'll survive."

"Relly–" Langston started, his bottom lip shaking.

"I'll be fine," she chuckled. "You guys are going to do great."

With that, Relly closed her eyes as if drifting off in a peaceful sleep. She relaxed in Langston's arms as the boy stood still in his place. Both he and Drew watched as Relly's breathing slowed to a stop at the end of her life. It had taken about ten minutes until the boom of a cannon sounded in the distance and Langston and Drew bowed their heads to mourn over their dead ally's body.

* * *

_**Burton Howl (14–D8) Zach Quince (14–D12)**_

* * *

Once they heard the boom at the distance, both fourteen year-old boys twisted around to see where it had come from.

"The Careers have been busy, haven't they?" Zach commented, causing Burton to scowl.

"I doubt it," he said.

Zach rolled his eyes at his ally. "I think you're the first person I've met who _actually_ underestimates the Careers."

"They're _overestimated_," Burton shot back. "Trust me, Zach. The Careers aren't really as good as everyone thinks they are."

"If you say so," Zach mumbled under his breath as both boys continued to trudge along the tulips after stopping momentarily when the cannon boomed.

They continued the rest of their way in comfortable silence. Burton had this idea to find the perfect spot to be able to see the Cornucopia in a good distance that wasn't too far or too near. He also didn't like any of those red spheres nearby. They triggered a weird chill down his spine. For a second even, he would hear strange voices in his head though they were very distant and Burton even asked himself if they were real. He pushed these thoughts away though and concluded that it would be best to stay away from the red tulips.

When he and Zach stopped before a rather large, vibrant fruit-decorated tree, Burton ordered his ally to stay down below. This had been the third tree Burton would be climbing today. The first one had been during the bloodbath. Their plan was for Burton to sprint to Zach's side of the forest and climb up the tree he had chosen. Since Zach was a slower runner and climber, Burton knew he had a better chance of running across the bloodbath without any injuries, so he knew the plan would be effective.

The second tree they had chosen was about twenty minutes away from their third. It was way too near a red sphere that Burton immediately turned it down as their shelter for the Hunger Games. He mentally prayed that this would be the tree they had been looking for. He didn't think he could risk walking further into the forest. It would be too far from the Cornucopia then.

Once Burton had reached the top of the tree, he grinned at the beautiful sight of the field of the Cornucopia. From his place, he could see one of them pacing before the front entrance of the sanctuary. The back entrance of the Cornucopia was completely unguarded that it made him grin. Best of all, there were no red spheres in sight.

"Hey, Zach!" Burton called down below. He made sure he wasn't too loud for his voice to echo around the arena. Strangely, Burton was only answered by deafening silence. He was too far up to see Zach down below. A flash of worry surpassed his features as he frowned from his place on the tip of the tree.

Swinging down from branch to branch, Burton made his way down to see if his ally was still there. Halfway down, he heard someone call his attention. Flattening his back on the main trunk of the tree and his legs firmly placed on the branch he stood on, Burton twisted his head to the left only to see Zach standing on the branch of another tree nearby. The curly-haired fourteen year-old couldn't help but sigh in relief that his ally was still there. The absolute panic in his ally's eyes had gotten him anxious though.

Silently, Zach pointed down below and Burton began to hear footsteps from their right. Heart hammering in his chest, Burton gulped, as he made sure that he and Zach were making no noise at all. He mentally cursed the tulips for making footsteps so hard to hear, but the group of tributes hadn't been too quiet with their mouths either.

"Whom do you think the cannon belonged to?" a familiar high-pitched voice asked with slight irritation to her tone.

"It could belong to anyone."

Burton's eyes widened at the newest voice. He knew this boy. He had been the Career from Two. He was the one Burton had so bravely talked back to during the third day of training. Slowly, a grin began to form on Burton's face. The group of Careers was about to walk below him any time now. Burton had the advantage. They had no idea he was there.

But out of the corner of his eye, Zach sliced his finger across his throat to warn Burton that now was not the time to ambush them. Dejectedly, the grin fell from his face when he figures Zach was right. He and Zach did not have the materials to fight yet. They were empty-handed and the Careers probably had their weapons with them. With a scowl, Burton watched as they finally revealed themselves, trudging slowly below the pair of fourteen year-olds.

"If one of those puny tributes killed someone, I'm going to scream," the dark-skinned girl from Four, Terra, hissed irately.

"It was probably one of the three I saw," her district partner Reif said. "I'm guessing it was the one I speared."

"That's the explanation that makes the most sense," Kellisa agreed with a nod. "You remember the liquid we saw on the flowers? I have a feeling that poisoned her."

"What if it was just dew?"

"No." Kellisa shook her head at her district partner. "It didn't look like dew at all. Poison is the only logical explanation for this. After the bloodbath, tributes would tend to go as far as they can from the Cornucopia. They wouldn't go killing each other so soon. Reif already injured that girl from Three. Even if the liquid on the red tulips isn't poison, she would have died from blood loss anyway unless their alliance got a gift from sponsors."

"That's stupid," Necali said with a snort. "They can't have sponsors. Who would want to sponsor an alliance as weak as them?"

"Exactly."

Burton sucked his stomach in as the Careers finally picked up the pace and were out of earshot. Both fourteen year-old boys hiding by the trees waited a little longer until they finally concluded it safe to jump back down on the white tulips. Burton narrowed his eyes at the direction the Careers took back to their sanctuary.

"We'll start with them tomorrow," Burton informed his ally.

"You sure?" Zach scratched the back of his head uncertainly. "They sounded intelligent enough to know the possibilities of what we're about to do to them. Don't you think tomorrow they'll have more people guarding the Cornucopia?"

"Again, Zach," Burton shook his head fondly at his ally. "People like you tend to overestimate them. We can do this. _We_ are the best tributes here."

* * *

_**Macy Zimmer (16–D6)**_

* * *

Macy just kept walking and walking and walking. She had no idea which direction she was going and she had no idea where in the arena she was. She couldn't tell if she was far away from the Cornucopia or near. She couldn't hear anything besides the voices in her head that began to grow louder and louder, telling her she was going to die.

Everything around her seemed to be a blur. She felt so betrayed that she was here in the arena alone with no ally because Percy had abandoned her to team up with the Careers. But didn't Percy just save her in the bloodbath a while ago? Why couldn't she feel more grateful than she was? She was indeed very happy that she wasn't skewered by the girl from Twelve, but why had Percy saved her when he deserted her just a few days before?

The voices in her head were louder than ever. First, she could hear Max telling her she was a failure. Then she'd hear dad screaming for her to stop running and just kill herself right then and there because she had no hope of winning at all. Her breath hitched up her throat as her heart pounded against her chest. It loudly drowned out the voices of her loved ones in her head. _Thump, thump, thump, thump_.

Suddenly, she stopped running and her heartbeat had gone slower as she caught her breath. She blinked a few times to let her vision clear and focus at the sight before her. She gasped in absolute terror as the large, wine-made Cornucopia was only a few feet away from where she stood. She twisted her head around only to see a couple of trees surrounding her. She exhaled in relief when she realized that she was still in the forest, although she stood in the very shallow part. Any Career in guard would be able to see her from where they stood. She was literally in front of the borderline. She could see one red sphere a few steps from where she shakily stood. She gasped at the sight and fell back, her backside landing on the tulips quite hard and she winced slightly at the sudden pain.

Something about red sphere had triggered something in her. She knew that she should keep away from it. There was a strange voice in her head telling her to move away. It told her never to come near it. Macy didn't know if the voice had been real or not, but her eyes dilated and she nodded obediently. Still on her place on the ground, Macy pushed herself further away from the sphere, obeying the voice in her head.

"Macy?"

In panic, Macy snapped out of whatever seemed to be controlling her and lifted her head up quickly to see who had called her name. It was Percy. That couldn't be possible. Percy was supposed to be out hunting with his allies. What was he doing here all alone in the Cornucopia? Perhaps he was hunting her down. Maybe after killing Rose Adams, he was out to get her next. But didn't he tell Macy to leave before anyone else saw her in the bloodbath?

"You're going to kill me," Macy choked out, pushing herself further away, her backside crushing white tulips as she did.

"No, no, no," Percy said, briskly walking towards her. "No, I'm not going to kill you, Macy. I'm here to help you."

"You're a–a Career," she stuttered, absolutely terrified of his presence. She noticed the flail he held and immediately let out a small scream.

"No! No, Macy, I'm not going to use this on you!" Percy immediately exclaimed and dropped the weapon behind him. "Please, Macy, let me help you."

Macy shook her head furiously. How could she trust him? He abandoned her for the bloodthirsty Careers. He was never her friend. She never had any friends here.

But suddenly, the same voice entered her head, telling her to trust Percy. But how could she listen to the voice now? She _couldn't_ trust Percy again. But the voice disagreed. She _could_ trust Percy again. Yes, she could. Glassy-eyed and open-mouthed, Macy robotically nodded.

Percy suddenly frowned at his district partner. There was something wrong with her. One moment, she's completely afraid of him and now, she seemed completely relaxed. Her eyes dilated and drool began to escape the side of her mouth. But nonetheless, she accepted his offer of help and he gladly took this opportunity. Without hesitating, Percy grabbed her arm and pulled her up to her feet. Immediately, Macy snapped out of her trance and tried to struggle out of his grip.

"_Please_, Macy," he pleaded. "Let me help you. I'm only going to give you some stuff and you can leave. You'll need it for survival."

The sincerity in his voice had reminded her so much of the kindness shown by the people important to her back home. It seemed like he actually wanted to help her, and he did. Finally giving in, Macy let Percy lead her out of the forest and towards the Cornucopia.

Giving out a sigh of relief, Percy approached the shelter with his district partner. As they advanced, Macy took in a sharp intake of breath at the intimidating sight of the sanctuary. What if another Career was hiding inside and Percy was simply luring her into a trap? Then again, the sincerity in his voice had earned her trust in him once again. If he really wanted to help her, she'd be able to leave with many supplies for her survival.

Once the pair reached the Cornucopia, Percy immediately uncovered one of the crates that rested on the white tulips. He pulled out a bunch of crackers and even a great load of jerky with a couple of bottles of water as well. Macy stared down at the supplies with wide, hesitant eyes. Did she really deserve this kind of compassion from him? She barely even trusted him a few minutes ago.

Reaching over at another open crate, he pulled out a dusty yellow rucksack, similar to the blue one Macy had acquired in the bloodbath. When she popped out of another red sphere after one in the field of the Cornucopia sucked her in, she was too panicked to collect the bag and ran as far away from the sphere as she could, losing the rucksack in the process. Pushing himself up to his feet, Percy shoved the filled bag in Macy's arms.

"Go ahead and take it," he said in a low whisper as though there was someone unwanted outside. "They'll never notice it's gone."

Macy simply stared at the bag in her hands. It was quite heavy, but she did not mind at all. This bag could save her life in hiding for a few days. Percy then grabbed a knife from the wall of weapons and slipped it into Macy's grip.

"This is for protection," he explained, gesturing to the knife she held. "I highly doubt you'll run into to anyone if you stay near the Cornucopia though. Try to keep out of sight as much as possible especially when the Careers are out hunting. I'll probably be assigned as watch for a while. Come back when you need anything else, okay?"

The brunette lifted her head up, a small smile growing on her pale face.

"Thank you," she said in a mere whisper.

"You should run back to the forest now." Percy's eyes were trained north at the forest. "Remember to stay nearby in case you need anything else. I promised we'd be allies, right?"

Nodding her head in gratitude, Macy turned and ran as fast as she could with her newly acquired supplies, leaving Percy in the Cornucopia as if nothing had happened. Little did she know that this little arrangement of theirs would do more harm than good.

* * *

**Hello! So here's sort of the first day into the games (after the bloodbath). Hope you guys liked this chapter. The next would focus on the tributes that were not mentioned in here. There were a couple more hints of what the theme of the arena is and more information on the red spheres. Maybe some of you would already have a couple guesses in mind. :)**

**RIP Relly; a tribute made by IceTigers. She will be missed.**

**EDIT: By the way, I would like to inform you that I have already decided the winner and I know who will be dying in order as the chapters go by and how each tribute will perish. Everything you will see for the chapters of the games was already planned ahead by me.**

**~jess**


	23. Meeting In Paradise

_**Rowen Ember (18–D10) Colleen Reyna (16–D10)**_

* * *

The first night in the games was not comfortable for the two tributes from Ten at all. Both suffered the thought of not knowing if Olivia was doing all right or not. While they searched for shelter that day, a cannon boomed in the distance a little while after the bloodbath. The two had been quite queasy ever since. They both awaited the reveal of the deceased tributes at night and Colleen had almost been too drowsy to wait any longer.

Finally, the anthem echoed in the arena and Colleen shot up from the bed of white tulips she lay on. Rowen sat motionless against the bark of a tree, just like he had been over an hour ago. Colleen had to commend him for actually staying up to see this. She had been too weak and sleepy to stay up. Biting her lip in anticipation, she watched as pictures of dead tributes flashed bright over the arena.

When Sapphire Wilkes' face appeared, Colleen couldn't help but gasp in shock. She glanced at her district partner only to see a similar expression on his handsome features.

"She's _dead_?" Rowen breathed.

"I guess so," Colleen replied in equal amount of shock.

"This is unbelievable." A smile lit up on Rowen's face as he watched the next few dead tributes flash on the screen.

Colleen could feel her own smile grow on her face. She knew exactly what he was thinking. The Careers weren't as invincible as they thought they were. They were also capable of dying in the bloodbath. Trained or not, anyone could perish in that moment of the games. For the first time in ages, Colleen felt something like excitement and happiness bubble inside her. For the first time in ages, she actually felt like she had a chance.

Then the grinning Relly Jay flashed before her eyes. The feeling inside Colleen drained away as quickly as it came. Sweet, sweet Relly was dead. She did not survive the bloodbath, or maybe the cannon after the bloodbath belonged to her. Either way, she was out of the games and already dead. The sixteen year-old's breath quickened as she placed her hand over her heart. Tears stung in her eyes as reality hit her. Relly obviously had no chance. She was too innocent and was merely a child. She would not be able to stand against any Career or even a burly tribute from one of the outer districts. But it still never dawned on Colleen that the sweet little girl who asked about her boyfriend back home might actually be dead by the end of the first day.

After the reveal of Relly's death, Colleen didn't bother to pay attention to the rest of the tributes who were dead. Instead, Rowen was the one to inform her that their lost ally was indeed still out there. At least there was still some good news.

"Where do you think she is?" Colleen whispered as she curled up in a ball on the bed of white tulips. Rowen still sat with his back pressed against the trunk of a flowery tree, watching her as she prepared for rest.

"She could be anywhere," Rowen answered. "She could even be under us. She fell into a hole. What if there's an underground arena we don't know about?"

But Rowen was answered by only silence as his district partner finally slipped into a deep sleep. The eighteen year-old let her. He didn't think it would be wise for both of them to fall asleep here. The Careers might have been running around, searching for careless tributes asleep on the ground like Colleen. His eyes searched around the place of the forest they had chosen to stay in. There was nothing in sight except for trees, trees and more trees. As his head whirled around to make sure they were the only living tributes here, he spotted a familiar red sphere a few meters east from where he sat.

Cursing under his breath, he almost slapped himself for not noticing the red sphere sooner. He knew these spheres were dangerous, and the last thing he wanted was for him and Colleen to accidentally step on those rosy tulips. Wanting to take a closer look to make sure that his eyes weren't fooling him, the blonde from Ten lifted himself off the ground and made his way to the red sphere, leaving Colleen in her slumber.

The sphere looked exactly like they were by the edge of the forest in the field of the Cornucopia. Kneeling down before it, Rowen shakily held out his hand to touch the glossy petals of a red tulip by the center of the circle. Scrunching his face up in mild curiosity, he touched the liquid on the tulips. Strangely, it stuck firmly by his fingers. Also very strange was the fact that he could feel nothing at all as he examined the liquid on his palm. Extending his hand once more, he enclosed his fingers around the red tulip, tugging on it slightly to see if it would detach from the ground.

Then the sphere did something that Rowen had not expected at all. His hand still enclosed rightly around the tulip, it forcefully pulled him down. Losing his footing, Rowen yelped as he landed headfirst into the sphere. Vines curled around his armpits and forced him underground. The feeling did not exactly hurt him, but it wasn't pleasant at all. His eyes were shut tight as he was pulled around some tunnel and the vines seemed to have a mind of their own as they maneuvered him through.

Finally, Rowen was hauled out of the exit and he tumbled over the white tulips. Breathing heavily and resisting the urge to scream out in complete fear, he pushed himself up to his feet and twisted around to take in his surroundings.

"Shit," he whispered frantically to himself as he tugged on his golden hair, his eyes darting around the unfamiliar part of the forest he was taken to.

Then his eyes landed on the nearest red sphere and he sprinted towards it. Could it take him back to Colleen or would it simply bring him somewhere else? It sounded a lot like something cruel the gamemakers would do to torture alliances. Once they stepped into the red sphere, they would never make it back. It was worth the risk though. If he were lucky enough, it would lead him back to Colleen. If not, he would have to settle with walking.

Taking a deep breath, Rowen lifted his leg and stepped on the center of the sphere. The vines immediately reacted and pulled his leg under, making the rest of his body sink in quickly. The way underground was slightly more comfortable when he jumped in feet first, but the feeling still was not very enjoyable. Once he was out, his landing had been better as he landed on both feet. His arms flailed around to keep him from falling and losing his balance. Once he steadied himself, his eyes immediately darted around to take in his surroundings. He sighed in great relief when he saw Colleen in the distance, her body curled up in a ball and her eyes closed in serenity. Making sure his steps were as silent as possible, he shakily made his way back to his district partner.

"Never going in there again," he murmured under his breath, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.

He returned to his place by the large tree and relaxed, letting his heart rate calm and the severity of the situation he was in just a few moments ago sink in. He found himself staring up at the tree he leaned on. The assortment of exotic, colorful fruits stared back above him. They bloomed rather beautifully in the moonlight and Rowen found himself so mesmerized with the beauty that he could not look away. His eyes dilating and his mind wandering, he began to hear someone. Someone was calling _him_, his name.

_Rowen_, the voice said, echoing freely in Rowen's head. He could not tell if this was real or all in his mind. He concluded that he must have been imagining the voice. There was no one here but him and Colleen.

_Rowen, kill her_, the voice continued to speak. Kill whom? What was the voice trying to tell him to do?

_Kill the girl, Rowen. She is just lowering your chances of leaving the games alive. You must return to your family, Rowen. Kill her._

He _had_ to obey. The voice was right. Colleen meant nothing to him. His family was his entire life. Why was he just sitting here, letting her sleep peacefully when he could kill her right now? But Colleen was a good person, wasn't she? He could not just _kill_ her.

_Yes, you can, Rowen. Kill her. You must kill her!_

The voice had become more demanding this time. Like a robot, Rowen stood up and pulled a knife out of the bag he had gotten in the Cornucopia bloodbath. He _must_ kill her. He loomed over Colleen's sleeping figure with a knife in hand and his face blank of emotion. He _must_ kill her. He pulled his arm back, ready to strike the knife down her chest until cackling voices echoed in the distance and Rowen dropped the knife, landing a foot away from Colleen's sprawled figure.

For a second, Rowen was confused to why he was aiming a knife at Colleen. He blinked repeatedly, his sight clearing before him. What had just happened? The voices in the distance started to get louder and Rowen returned to his senses. Slightly panicked, he gathered their small amount of stuff, and shook Colleen awake. She stirred and stared sleepily into Rowen's big, rattled eyes.

"What–"

"People are coming," Rowen whispered frantically. "Come on; I think they're the Careers!"

"I can't believe the gamemakers would give us such an advantage!" Both tributes from Ten recognized the voice to belong to Ares Hammersmith who was getting closer. "I mean these red flowers have been dead useful."

"Let's go!" Rowen said under his breath in dread.

Colleen immediately pushed herself up to her feet and both tributes ran further away from the voices. While Colleen was completely invested in the fear of the Careers finding them, Rowen had other thoughts in his head as they ran. What had happened back there when he had the knife? He looked like he almost stabbed Colleen with it. But what in the world prompted him to do such a thing? Or rather, _who_?

* * *

_**Erizelda Morrison (17–D8)**_

* * *

Zelda woke up to arguments, jeers, and more arguments. It seemed that the Careers had finally returned from their late night escapades, and judging by the bad mood passed around from Career to Career, they didn't manage to find anyone to kill.

"I swear there were tributes there!" Terra hissed, threateningly digging her dagger slightly into Ares' chest, though not hard enough to draw any blood. The blonde boy from Two didn't even flinch.

"Well it isn't our fault we missed them!" Ares shot back in a low growl, the sword he held glinting dangerously at the light of the sun.

"No, actually it was _you're_ fault," Reif added in as he stood casually beside his district partner, his tone cool and uninterested like always.

"_How is my fault_?" Ares boomed, pushing past Terra to tower over Reif.

"It would have helped if you kept your mouth shut," Necali pointed out from the front entrance of the Cornucopia as he bitterly threw his knife at the ground. "I bet the only people who _couldn't_ hear you were from District Twelve."

Percy and Kellisa simply stared with amused expressions at the argument ongoing. They both sat lazily in the Cornucopia to shade themselves from the scorching heat of the sun.

"We'll just get them next time," Ares snapped at them all. "It's only the beginning of the games. Stop moping around that you didn't get a kill today. You'll have your chance in the next few days."

Terra whipped her arm forward and flipped her middle finger at his face. From the southern forest, Zelda peeked behind a tree and couldn't help but snort. Immediately, her eyes widened and slapped her hand over her mouth. _What on earth had she done?_

As expected, the Careers' hearing had been incredibly sharp and they all twisted around to Zelda's direction. She hid behind the same tree, her back pressing hard on the trunk with her eyes wide open.

_Please think it was your imagination. Please think it was your imagination. Please think it was your imagination._

"Did anyone else hear that?" Ares mused out. Zelda took in a sharp breath as she heard pairs of feet making their way to her direction.

"Yeah…" Necali said interestedly. Zelda was eternally grateful that it would be impossible for Necali to throw a knife through the thick tree bark and at her head.

"Who's there?" Kellisa called out.

"Don't be shy," Ares spoke once again. Zelda could swear on her life that he had a sadistic smile on his face at that moment. She refused to step out of her hiding place only for him to stare at her like she was a piece of meat. "We won't kill you right away if you reveal yourself."

"_Ares_–"

"Shut up, Terra," the blonde from Two snapped at his ally. "Come on. This tribute might be useful."

Zelda could vaguely hear Terra mumbling furiously to herself but the fear of death pounded dangerously in her ears and her hands shook in absolute terror.

"We'll keep our word," Ares continued to speak. "Come on, guys. Put your weapons down."

A series of groans and protests filled Zelda's pounding ears for a while, until Ares magically was able to persuade them all to actually put their weapons down. She heard the tinkling sound of clashing metal, but that couldn't fool her so easily. She had to see for herself. Taking a deep breath, she twisted around to take a peak at the field of the Cornucopia and her eyes connected with Ares. He grinned maliciously when he had been right that someone was there.

Zelda's eyes darted from Ares' piercing blue ones to the stack of metallic weapons gathered before them. Terra definitely didn't look too happy without her dagger. Her mouth curled into an unkind scowl and her left eye twitched constantly. Reif was as cool and collected as always, but his eyes flashed whenever they turned their gaze to Ares. Necali looked more at ease without his weapon. His eyes were wide as he stared at Zelda's hiding place; he looked like an ordinary boy without his knives for once. As Percy remained on his spot before the entrance of the Cornucopia, Kellisa stood but was separated from the other three. She merely stood up to drop her weapon and the way her hands twitched didn't make her look very happy either.

"Ah, there's the mystery tribute!" Ares cackled happily when he spotted the beautiful brunette. "Come on out and show yourself so we can see who you really are."

For a very good reason, Zelda wasn't too fond of the idea of revealing her identity now. She never pondered on this thought, but what if they thought her as useless? They would never let anyone useless into the Career pack. Percy was in because they felt threatened by his skill; Zelda was sure of that. But was there anything about the seventeen year-old from District Eight who only had her looks as an advantage that threatened the Careers?

"Show yourself," Necali suddenly spoke up, his eyes narrowing at the brunette who was still only just peeking. Gulping nervously, Zelda felt that Necali already knew who she was but she mentally thanked him for keeping this information to himself at the moment.

Knowing that the Careers would start attacking if she didn't move out, she gathered up all the courage in her and stepped out from behind the tree, facing the superior tributes. She felt her confidence falter when Terra let out a loud, taunting laugh.

"_This_ is the oh, so useful tribute you were expecting, Ares?" Terra chortled, clutching the side of her stomach as tears of laughter began to fill her eyes.

Zelda couldn't bring herself to speak. Her face was red from embarrassment by Terra Johansenn and wanted nothing more but to throw a knife in her neck. Her hands curled into fists in anger as the laughter continued and her district partner even let out a chuckle or two.

Suddenly, a knife was hurtling towards her. Air rushing out of her lungs and her face going completely pale, the knife sunk in the bark of the tree she had been hiding behind a few moments ago. It was a mere centimeter away from sinking in her head. She could feel herself hyperventilating and her hand clutched her heart in panic. She almost died. She almost _fucking_ died.

"_What the hell?_" she shouted in mixed terror and ferocity. Her eyes focused on Necali's who had obviously thrown the knife. He blankly stared back. "You _said_ you'd hear me out!"

"Necali, what the _fuck_ was that?" Ares rounded up on his ally. "We agreed that we'd only kill her if she's completely useless to us!"

"I didn't kill her, did I?" Necali shot back. "I did exactly the same thing to Percy during training. I just wanted to show her how risky it was to show up here." His eyes flickered back to the picked Zelda. "You shouldn't have come here."

"Oh, I'm glad she did," Terra snickered sadistically.

"_Enough_," Kellisa suddenly spoke up, leaving Percy and joining her fellow allies by Zelda. "Let her speak."

Five pairs of eyes fixated on her and she had to control her breathing to speak. Once her heart had slowed down, she opened her mouth to state her reason for coming here.

"I want to join you," she choked out.

As usual, Terra burst out into laughter. Ares impatiently shushed her and turned back to the brunette, raising his eyebrows in amusement.

"Why should we let you?" he asked.

Zelda gulped. Why _should_ they let her join? Should she say that she simply needed them for her to survive? Her plan had been to use her looks on Ares, but that didn't seem to work on Necali anyway. She didn't want to test her chances on Ares anymore. It was way too risky. Just one touch of his arm, he might just choke her to death.

What could she possibly offer that would make her worthy to fight alongside them and not against them? Suddenly, it dawned on her. Slowly, a smile lit up her face. She knew _exactly_ what they would be able to get from her and not anybody else. She couldn't believe that she didn't think of this sooner.

"Burton Howl," she said in full confidence.

Making her feel very giddy, the Careers reacted exactly the way she expected. Ares' eyes immediately widened and his jaw clenched with slight anger at the mention of the name. Necali and Kellisa raised their eyebrows at her boldness, a vicious smirk formed on Reif's usually apathetic face, and Terra actually stopped laughing. Her head snapped up in interest at the name. She was no longer smiling in glee. Instead, something burning was evident in her eyes, something very venomous and hungry for blood.

"What about Burton Howl?" Ares voiced the question that was probably what all his allies were thinking.

"I know him," Zelda simply replied, feeling the confidence in her build up once again. For the first time in days, she felt like the Zelda she was back home. She had everyone's attention, and they were _very_ interested. "I know what he does and what he'll do and what he thinks of you guys. I know what his plans may be and where he'd possibly be. He's my district partner. This information is easily picked up when you share an apartment with him before the games."

The Careers would never admit it, but they saw Burton as a very big threat, him _and_ his district partner. Zelda knew this opportunity would be too good to waste, so she wasn't surprised when Ares threw his arm over her shoulder and guided her towards the Cornucopia.

"Welcome to the Careers, Eight," he said with a grin. "I'll guarantee you that you'll be enjoying your stay here."

Still by the edge of the forest, Necali watched, as Zelda was lead to their shelter by his ally. He tilted his head to the side as a small smirk grew on his face and he followed Ares and Zelda without a word.

* * *

_**Amelie Spaulding (17–D7)**_

* * *

A few days had passed, and all Amelie was able to eat during those days were a couple of nuts and berries she found nearby. All the trees were decorated with such colorful and edible fruits, but she could not take her chances with those. Looks could be deceiving. Some people would say that the most beautiful could be the deadliest. Amelie knew that that didn't necessarily apply for all the fruits on the trees, but she held little to no knowledge at all about poisonous foods. She refused to die in the games by poison. If she were die, she would go down with a fight.

On the third day into the games, Amelie was still trekking further away from the Cornucopia in search for water. While she was inside the Cornucopia during the bloodbath, she managed to take a backpack and since she took it from the shelter itself, its components were more valuable than the other tributes had gotten around the field. Inside were two bottles of purified water, packs of jerky, a long knife, a rather large bottle of water purifier, a thick sleeping bag and glasses that helped in seeing at night.

The gamemakers haven't been too lenient with the heat. At night, Amelie barely even needed to sleeping bag to cover her. If she would be able to sleep at all with the heat at night, she'd wake up to the scorching heat of the sun at day. It was the third day into the games and she already ran out of water. It was impossible to save water in this kind of temperature.

"Stupid water," Amelie muttered irately to herself, throwing an empty bottle of water down at the tulips and stepping on it in anger with a loud crunch.

Suddenly, a boy seemingly dropped from the sky and right in front of her. A curse escaping her lips, Amelie stumbled back slightly and narrowed her eyes at the dark-haired boy. She glanced up and saw that she had been walking under a rather large tree and now she knew where this boy came from.

"What's up?" he said with a toothy smile.

Choosing to ignore the boy, Amelie turned another way and left him behind without even meeting his eyes. Much to her irritation the boy jogged after her.

"You're going the wrong way you know," he pointed out.

Gritting her teeth, Amelie swiveled around to face him and tell him to go fuck off.

"I'm just trying to help here." He raised his hands up in surrender with a playful smirk on his lips before she could even say anything. "I was here to get more water for myself and you seem to have a problem with looking for the stream."

"_I-don't-need-help_," Amelie hissed, her voice coming out in a very low whisper and very dangerous. She pulled the knife she obtained from her rucksack out of the inside pocket of her jacket, ready to strike at the dark-haired boy.

Before she could do anything though, he whipped his own knife out before Amelie could blink. As she swung, he expertly blocked the knife with his own. He released the block and turned to jam the hilt of his knife on Amelie's wrist. With a weakened grip and a few fancy knife-wielding skills from the boy, Amelie's weapon found its way to the boy's left hand as he triumphantly held both knives before Amelie's eyes.

"I don't think weapons should be part of this whole thing," he said slowly as if he were talking to a small child. "It would make things _way_ more complicated."

As soon as he showed his obvious skills with a short knife, Amelie knew whom this kid was. He was from District Twelve and his name was Zach Quince. She had seen him with the boy from Eight, Burton, and he had been showing off his skills for three days in the Training Center. No matter how much she didn't want to admit it, she knew she was definitely going to lose in a fight with knives against him. She almost wished that she hadn't thrown that axe at Sapphire Wilkes.

"If you give me back the knife, I'll listen to what you have to say," Amelie managed to spit out.

With a grin, Zach handed her the long knife. Not being true to her words, Amelie snatched it out of his grasp and she stomped away, hoping that would show him that she really did not want to deal with him right now. Once she caught her hands on another axe, she'd be taking the first opportunity to throw it at his neck.

"Oh, come on!" Zach called out. "That's no fair! You're going the opposite way. Surely a determined girl like you wouldn't want to die of dehydration now, would you?"

Growling, Amelie finally gave in and whirled around to face him.

"Tell me where it is or I'll kill you," she snapped.

"You and I know you can't kill me right now," Zach said with a wink. "I know what weapon you can use. You don't have it right now."

The older of the two narrowed her eyes dangerously at him.

"How do _you_ know?" she asked acidly.

"I saw you kill Sapphire Wilkes, Seven," Zach answered, his knowing smile never leaving his face. "I should tell you now that Necali Reinerston is _not_ happy."

"She deserved it," Amelie spat out. "She was a Career. If I didn't kill her, she'd be responsible for a bunch of other lives. Not that I care though. I just want to leave this arena as a victor and I'm going to do whatever it takes to get there. She was open and vulnerable, and I had the axe. You're just lucky I used that on Sapphire. If I hadn't you'd be bleeding to death at this very moment."

"That's not very nice," Zach commented humorously. "For now, I'm going to pretend you didn't threaten to kill me and be the nice guy I am. So are you coming or what?"

"No."

"Good luck dying of thirst then," Zach said with a snort as he made his way opposite the direction Amelie was taking. "See you in heaven!"

Amelie stopped dead in her tracks, wondering if she should follow or not. He seemed genuine enough, but she couldn't let herself give up and simply follow another tribute who obviously knew more than her. She was determined to find this stream on her own, but she was obviously going the wrong way. His words taunted her in her head.

_Good luck dying of thirst then_.

Cursing Zach Quince and his stupid knife, Amelie whirled around and caught up to the fourteen year-old.

"Ah, changed your mind, I see?" Zach smirked at her. Amelie returned it with a scowl.

"You're just going to show me where this stupid stream is and we're going our separate ways," she dictated resentfully. "This is in no way an alliance and in return for showing me where the water is, I'll spare your life."

"Oh, don't worry," he said with a chortle. "I'm not looking for an alliance with you. I've got my own, and we're doing better than half of the tributes here. Anyway, I don't think you're sparing my life. I'm sort of sparing yours because if I could have killed you a while ago when you attacked me. Just saying, ya know?"

"Where's the boy from Eight then?" Amelie raised an eyebrow at him, jaw clenched at his last words. She chose to ignore them.

"_That_ is none of your business. The last thing we both want is waking up to you with an axe by our heads."

Well, it was worth a shot. Their whereabouts couldn't be too hard to find. Together, they set off towards the stream and Amelie couldn't help but think how good she'd feel once she finally got some cold water in her.

* * *

_**Olivia Thorne (15–D11)**_

* * *

Olivia spent her days in the games wandering around, trying to find Rowen and Colleen. She used the red spheres multiple times and transferred her from place to place inside the forest. A few times, she'd stumble near the Cornucopia, only to jump back in the sphere to take her back in the forest. She barely ate and rarely ever slept. She had no one to take watch, so she couldn't be so sure that the Careers wouldn't stumble upon her and kill her in her slumber.

She was tired and scared and just needed to find her allies. She didn't think she could survive without anyone with her here. She remembered Hunter and the feeling of complete guilt filling her when she saw his face flash in the sky a few nights ago, indicating his death. Maybe it would have been better if she hadn't joined Rowen and Colleen and stuck with Hunter instead. If she hadn't deserted him, maybe he'd still be alive and with her right now.

Without anyone here with her, she only knew that she would be joining Hunter soon. But she could never give up. She would continue looking for them until dawn. Once she finds them, she'd be able to get her rest. Right now, she needed to work. She would not let the games take her so easily. Sometimes, she wondered when she'd lose herself like the girl from Six already did.

There were odd times for Olivia when she'd suddenly get into a strange trance. She would lose track of her mind and actions, but she'd fight it to keep to her senses. Was this the first sign of insanity for her? She needed to stay alert and keep her mind open. She could not lose it. It might just be the only thing she'd have left.

On a usual day, Olivia hiked around, her head whirling around to catch a glimpse of a pair of blondes. The only blonde she almost ran into was the one from Seven. She managed to climb up a tree before she was seen. Olivia avoided that particular part of the forest since then. She preferred it if she didn't run into anyone besides Rowen and Colleen.

At that moment, Olivia saw the day as a usual day and did her usual routine. She sunk in red spheres, and ran through white tulips. She noticed something though. The more she transported with the red spheres, the more she was losing her mind quite literally. She opted to avoid them, but she couldn't think of any other way to make her way around the arena quickly.

As she trekked past vibrant trees, it happened again. Her eyes wandered above her as she observed the fruits the trees bore. Olivia found herself staring at them once again, unable to turn away from such beauty around her. She stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes dilated and her mind wandered away.

_Eat the fruits, Olivia. Aren't you starving? There are many around you, Olivia. Just pick one and bite into it. It won't hurt, Olivia._

Absently, Olivia made her way to the nearest tree, ready to climb it and eat the fruit. It couldn't be poisonous anyway. Why would something as beautiful as that fruit hold such deadly poison? Only something ugly would hold such a thing. Nothing beautiful could be so venomous. Olivia was safe. The arena was a safe haven because everything around her was so beautiful and harmless.

Olivia was jump about to climb when a head suddenly popped out from the other side of the tree, his golden hair disheveled as a nasty grin spread on his face.

"_Boo_!"

With a scream, Olivia snapped out of her sudden daze and immediately took a few steps back. She fell back on her bottom and she shakily watched Necali Reinerston step out of his hiding spot behind the tree and slowly made his way towards the fifteen year-old.

"Look what we have here," he tauntingly said with a sneer. "District Eleven, I see."

"_Go away_!" Olivia plead, her voice filled with such desperation.

"It's so much easier to find tributes without Ares blabbering about," Necali continued to speak. "Though I must admit, I expected a boy. The voice I heard sounded very much like a boy."

"I didn't speak," Olivia said shakily, figuring that getting him into a conversation would delay her death.

"You didn't?" Necali raised his eyebrows at her. "So there's another tribute around?"

Olivia immediately shook her head. "There's no one here," she managed to choke out, her throat clogging up as tears stung in her eyes. "I'm the only one here. I'm lost."

"I don't believe you," he hissed. "I _heard_ a boy. There _was_ someone speaking."

Before Olivia could reply, a female voice rung from a distance.

"Necali! Where are you?"

"_Shit_," Necali muttered irately under his breath. "Zelda can't keep her goddamn mouth shut for anything. I suppose I should finish you quickly. Wouldn't want anyone else to kill you. I'm sure Terra would take longer than me."

This was her end, but Olivia could not just sit here while he sliced her into pieces. She had to try to get away. And that was exactly what she did. Pushing herself up to her feet, she ran the opposite way from Necali as fast as she could.

"Running won't help, Eleven!" Necali taunted from behind her.

Stumbling across white tulips, Olivia still continued to run. She desperately needed a red sphere right now. At her moment of need, where had the spheres gone? She began to feel a side-stitch burning in her stomach. Necali's taunts echoed behind her. She was too slow. She could not outrun him. She was going to die.

Then all her wishes came true when she turned left from a tree and spotted a red sphere not too far away. Forcing her legs to move, she began to feel woozy as she approached and as she blinked tears of pain away from her eyes, her vision had gone even blurrier that it already was. But finally, her foot landed on the red tulips and the vines immediately wrapped around her ankle just as she was pulled down, the last she heard was Necali's loud cry as he whipped his arm forward to throw a knife before she sunk in.

The eighteen year-old Career watched as the knife sliced through the air, but was too late when Olivia's head disappeared in the pit. Still, Necali's eyes were wide with anticipation as he watched the knife. Like he wanted, it landed on the red tulips and it sunk in like Olivia had. A deadly grin spread across his face as he stood there, staring at the red sphere.

_Come on, come on_, he thought repeatedly. He didn't run after this girl just to fail in killing her. She _had_ to be dead. That knife had to sink in her somewhere. Five minutes passed and Necali was still confident. Ten minutes had passed and his confidence faltered, but a smirk still decorated his handsome features. Fifteen minutes had passed and the anxiety began to build up. He could hear the calls of his fellow Careers get closer, but he had no intention of avoiding them now.

Twenty minutes had passed and his allies finally found him. Necali also lost hope.

"I thought I killed her," he mumbled bitterly, furiously crushing a white tulip with his foot.

"You _found_ a tribute?" Terra venomously spat. "I can't believe you! _Why didn't you tell us?"_

"I thought I could kill her!" Necali admitted viciously, narrowing his eyes at them all as if daring them to say anything else. "She slipped in the sphere before my knife could touch her. It just sunk in after her, but apparently she wasn't hurt. _Fucking_ sphere."

"She'd be dead if you called us, you know?" Ares shot back.

"Stop ganging up on him," Kellisa intervened, being the peacemaker of the group as always. "There's nothing we can do now."

Then at that moment, a canon boomed loud in the distance. Necali immediately whirled around and stared up in disbelief at the sky. Each of his allies was equally shocked as well. Ares was the first to recover and with a grin, he patted Necali at the back.

"Atta boy!" he cheered.

As the Career continued to receive congratulations and pats on the back by his allies, Olivia Thorne lay motionless on the stained white tulips on the other side of the arena. A knife stuck deep into her trachea as blood still continued to seep out of the dead girl's body. A hovercraft appeared above the scene and Olivia's body was hauled up, and the blood on the pure white tulips slowly began to fade, leaving no evidence at all of the of the girl's death.

* * *

**Hello! I hope you guys liked this chapter. For me, it was especially hard to write for some reason. I'm not that satisfied with it but I suppose there was nothing more I could do. Hope you guys liked the interactions though!**

**So if every chapter there will be death, I would only have eleven chapters for the games. I plan to add maybe two (?) chapters without death so that would make it thirteen chapters. Again, I've already figured everyone out. This story is _actually_ going somewhere for me, lol.**

**RIP Olivia; a tribute made my DomiHearts1497. Now I didn't have a lot of plans for Olivia, but that doesn't mean she's not an awesome tribute. She will be missed.**

**~jess**


	24. Take Flight

_**Necali Reinerston (18–D1) Ares Hammersmith (18–D2) Reif Larken (18–D4)**_

_**Terra Johansenn (15–D4) Erizelda Morrison (17–D8)**_

* * *

Trekking along the white tulips, Zelda wiped the sweat off her brow and groaned in impatience. The Careers had been briskly walking nonstop ever since dawn. Yesterday, Necali managed to kill a tribute and the rest of the Careers were vying for kill of their own. The difficulty of actually running into a tribute in the forest had surprised them. Back home, their Training Academy made it seem so easy. Now that they were actually in the arena itself, a good number of additional factors had affected their time on hunting and motivation.

"Let's be real," Zelda snapped as she struggled to keep up with the group. "You're not going to find a tribute sprawled upon the grass like they're home so I really don't think talking a stroll around the forest is going to help us find anyone to kill."

"Then what do you suggest, princess?" Ares spoke from the front of the pack, glancing back briefly to study her sweat-coated, rugged face. "You said you'd know where Burton Howl would probably be. Perhaps we could start from there." He shot Zelda a pointed look and her heart stuttered in fear, racking her head of possible conversations she overheard from Burton and her mentor.

"She probably doesn't know anything," Necali mumbled to Ares' right.

"You underestimate me," Zelda shot back, her eyes narrowing irately at the boy from One. "Just because I didn't grow up trained as a victor doesn't mean I'm not just as capable of analyzing other tributes like you do."

"Wow, a girl with just as much nerve as Wilkes," Reif grumbled under his breath. "I thought I'd never see the day."

"She's _nothing_ like Sapphire," Necali growled at him. "Sapphire is ten times better than she'll ever be."

Zelda kept her mouth shut at Necali's words. She barely knew Sapphire, but Necali obviously had grown to care for the girl. She wondered if it meant that there was something romantic going on with them, but Zelda knew it wasn't in her business to ask. It never stopped her before though, and it wouldn't now.

"Why are you still bitter over her death?" she bluntly asked, coating her words with apparent hatred. "It's not like you guys had a thing."

Terra cackled at Zelda's words, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.

"Don't be so sure, Eight," she chortled. "Ares and I made a bet before the games about that. I said Necali and Sapphire secretly had a thing and he didn't believe me."

"Well, you're going to owe him a bunch of cash because nothing was going on between us," Necali hissed at his dark-skinned ally. "I've known her since I first stepped in the Training Academy in District One. She was my best friend, and _Pixie Girl_ is going to _pay_ for killing her."

"What if I slit her neck with this?" Terra smirked devilishly as she raised the dagger she held threateningly in her hand.

Almost immediately, a knife sliced through the air towards Terra. Her heart skipped a beat, and her breath faltered. The knife was literally an inch away from her sweaty cheek as it sunk in a nearby tree instead. Necali had done this so often that none of the other Careers were very surprised with his reaction. Terra though was more than furious.

"Will you stop _doing_ that?" she cried out, a tinge of panic still coating the tone of her voice but her eyes flashed dangerously as she gripped the hilt of her dagger until her knuckles grew pale.

"That move is my specialty," Necali replied, a smirk decorating his handsome features. "I doubt you can even move a finger from that near death experience. If you don't keep your mouth shut with killing Pixie Girl, I'm going to make sure that next time I throw a knife at you, it _will_ sink in its target."

Terra spat at the flowers Necali's feet rested on. She scowled at the blonde as she calmly inhaled and exhaled. Releasing the panic and absolute terror of dying within her, she was finally able to stomp back to her district partner after shooting Necali a glower.

"I should have stayed with Percy," she mumbled under her breath. "Zelda's right. Any tribute wandering around on foot without noticing our approach should be completely stupid. We're not going to find anyone."

"Kellisa volunteered to stay with Percy," Ares added in bitterly.

"What about you two?" Zelda inquired, catching up with the group once more with a look of interest. "You and Kellisa seem pretty close."

"Kellisa and I hate each other." Ares narrowed his eyes at the beautiful brunette. "My sister killed her brother in his sleep. She's pretty determined to kill me in the most brutal way possible."

"But you don't want to kill her, do you?" Zelda raised an eyebrow at him, a smirk growing on her flawless face. The group's pace had lessened greatly as each Career listened in rather interestedly at the topic of discussion. How could the seeming leader of the Careers actually show some heart to another tribute? It didn't sound very much like Ares at all. It could also be a source of his weakness. Little did Ares and Zelda know that as they spoke, the other three had taken note of this possibly valuable information.

"What makes you say that?" Ares shot back, a slight edge to his tone.

"You're always clinging to her, you know?" Zelda silkily said, a glint in her golden eyes.

"I don't know about you and _your_ district partner, but I plan for District Two to have a winner this year," the blonde Career barked. "If that means keeping her by my side, then I'll do it. I am _not_ my sister do you hear me? My name is _Ares_, not Raegan. But obviously, _she_ doesn't see that."

By _she_, he had meant Kellisa. He hated her guts, that's for sure, and he couldn't stand how he was automatically just like Raegan just because she was his older sister. He was not Raegan and he would never be or act like her. He was his own person. Kellisa was too stubborn enough to actually see that Ares could be trusted with this sort of thing. He valued the bond district partners shared and wouldn't just kill her in her sleep. If they were both good enough to survive, they'd fight to death as the final two. That was the plan in his head, but he knew that Kellisa had other ideas. She wouldn't wait for the final two to attempt to murder him. She was just waiting for the right time.

On the way back to the Cornucopia after a long day of walking around and finding no tribute to kill at all, no one had spoken. Zelda had dropped the questioning as she had already gotten what she wanted. Soon, they would find out that she knew little to nothing at all on Burton. Once they did, she knew they wouldn't be as nice as before. She needed to attach herself to one of them, someone who had the power to let her stay. Ares wasn't an option. He was already attached to his partner. Reif would probably stab her if she attempted to flirt with him. The only other option was bitterly staring at the ground as he walked, his fist clenched around the hilt of his knife as he probably thought of the death of his district partner again.

As the trees began to thin and the Careers lightly smiled at the sight of the vine-made Cornucopia from the distance, something very unexpected happened. As they trotted on, feet crushing tulips as they did, they finally reached the edge of the forest and as their eyes trained at the back entrance of their shelter, a grinning dark-haired boy appeared from inside with a stuffed rucksack strapped to his back and began to sprint towards the forest, _and_ towards the dumbfounded Careers who had just gotten back from their hunting trip.

"Oh, _shit_!" he yelled out as soon as he noticed who exactly he was running towards. He immediately turned west and ran in a completely different direction.

"_Get him_!" Ares roared, his veins throbbing from the extreme anger he felt at the revelation that an outer tribute had gotten inside the Cornucopia. _Where in the world were Kellisa and Percy?_

As if on cue, Kellisa sprinted out of the back entrance of the Cornucopia with her bow in hand. Her eyes took in the other Careers, who she thought were still out hunting, chasing after the boy who was cackling in sheer delight. What the fun in getting chased around by the biggest competitors in the games, Kellisa did not know, but she didn't let this thought bother her. In one swift movement, she reached for an arrow from her pack and loaded her bow in lightning speed. Taking aim, she raised her weapon, breathed in and released.

* * *

_**Zach Quince (14–D12) Burton Howl (14–D8)**_

* * *

Knowing well that he wouldn't be able to make it out of the field by foot without getting injured or even killed, he decided it was time to test out the red spheres by the Cornucopia, hoping it would take him somewhere safe, but not too far away from his and Burton's tree. Just as he let his right foot sink in the sphere, vines immediately began to wrap around his leg and he was pulled under. The last thing he had seen before completely getting buried underground was a thin figure slicing through the air just above his head. One thing registered in his mind as he was pulled through the underground tunnel by living vines. _Kellisa had missed._

Once he was finally pulled out of underground, he staggered on his feet as he blinked repeatedly to clear the spots in his vision. His head had been throbbing and he felt the need to vomit out his lunch that day. Only when he had heard Ares' voice again was when he realized where exactly he was transported.

"There he is!"

Twisting his neck around, Zach found himself standing opposite where he had sunk in just a few seconds ago. He could still see the red sphere he had jumped into from where he stood by the edge of the forest. How in the world could he be so unlucky? He was just transported to the other end of the godforsaken field.

He did not take the time to linger with this thought. The Careers already began to run towards him, but he knew he was too far for them to reach him in such limited time. Taking this as an advantage, Zach plunged into the forest behind him, his legs burning from exhaustion and his eyes stinging at the pain from his drained limbs. Once he knew he was in the forest deep enough, he forced his feet to spring from the ground and jump at a tree. Like a spider, he managed to attach himself quite firmly to the tree trunk, the blade of his knife deep in the bark and his other hand gripping the lowest branch. He pulled his knife out of the bark and extended his arm up to sink it further upwards. Hauling himself up, he grabbed ahold of a higher branch.

He had continued to do this until he knew he was high enough not to be seen. He pulled himself up to sit on a thick branch, ice-cold sweat streaming down from his forehead like tears. He hand was numbed from the grip he had on his knife. He rested his pale palm on his slacks, hissing in agony whenever he attempted to move his fingers. He wouldn't have had that much difficulty in sprinting and climbing if he hadn't had the loaded bag clinging onto his back. It held the things he had successfully stolen from the Cornucopia, and he had gotten quite a lot.

Without the godforsaken bag on his back, he would have been able to outrun the Careers without having to use the red sphere. It hadn't been the first time he used it. The nearest red sphere by the tree Burton had chosen to use as shelter led Zach to the stream. He had discovered it after their first night in their newly found shelter. Meeting Amelie Spaulding was just an added bonus to his very helpful discovery. Now that she knew where the stream was, she'd have to go back there from time to time, and Zach was clever enough to know she'd avoid staying there during the time she had met the boy from Twelve days ago.

He had already caught Amelie lingering by the stream once after they had met. He watched her leave as well, following the stream up a hill until she finally disappeared from sight. Knowing where she could be hiding should give he and Burton an advantage. He kept this knowledge for future references.

Once the sun began to set, Zach figured it was time to head back to the tree and to his ally. The easiest way to find the directions back was to make his way back to the Cornucopia and head to the northern forest. It was what he was sprinting towards from the Cornucopia before seeing the Careers emerge from that part. He had no choice but to change directions.

Once Zach finally reached the shallowest part of the forest, he could see the silhouettes of the Careers as they gathered inside the Cornucopia itself. Zach slowly made his way around the edge of the forest, hoping none of them would step out to observe their surroundings before dinner. When the boy from Twelve reached the edge of the northern forest, he sighed in relief and ran in, smiling lightly at the familiarity of this part of the woods.

The walk back to the tree was quite short. They had chosen one near the Cornucopia for Zach and Burton to be able to steal easily and find their way back. Zach approached the familiar tree, its vibrant fruits decorating its green leaves and branches curving upwards. As expected, Burton almost immediately fell from above, his eyes wide and filled with worry and irritation.

"Where have you been?" he demanded. "You were supposed to come back like two hours ago! Don't tell me you got caught."

"Almost," Zach grunted in shame, throwing the bag of supplies down on the white tulips. "I escaped from the back entrance and the rest of the Careers were just coming back from hunting. They came from north and I had no choice but to go west. I tried jumping in one of the holes of red flowers but it just transported me to the other side of the field so I went in east instead."

Burton sighed in relief as he crouched down to pick up the rucksack.

"They didn't see you make your way here did they?" he asked carefully. "If any of them followed you, our secret is out."

"As if any of them are smart enough to follow me," Zach mumbled under his breath as he began to climb their tree, completely exhausted from stealing from the Careers that day. It had been the first time they had actually noticed him. Now they'd probably be more careful guarding the supplies.

His ally though looked truly impressed with Zach's bitter words.

"I see someone's finally realizing the Careers aren't as high and mighty as everyone thinks they are," Burton said with a smug expression, hauling himself up on one of the lower branches as he expertly climbed the tree, swinging around like a monkey until he finally reached his spot where his highly comfortable sleeping bag lay which he stole from the Cornucopia the other day and he munched on a granola bar he had gotten from the rucksack Zach had brought home that day.

"Burton, I need sleep," Zach mumbled irately from another thick branch above his ally. A rope was tied around his waist to keep himself attached to the tree and to keep him from falling in his sleep. Burton was only just tying his own rope with a knowing grin on his face.

"I would have killed to see the look on Ares' face when you got away," he snickered silently to himself.

"Go to sleep, Burton."

"I'm eating," the curly-haired boy from Eight snapped as he continued to chew loudly, his mouth filled with food.

"You're going to finish everything."

"As if."

In fact, Burton had been right in that aspect. It was unlikely that he would be able to finish all the food they managed to steal from the Cornucopia for the past four days into the games. He could safely say that they had gotten quite a big chunk of their supplies already. The stolen goods were all packed inside about six backpacks, all of them tied at the near top of their tree, hidden from the rest of the tributes in the arena. To Burton and Zach, they were at the top of the chain in the arena. They were well fed, they knew where to find water and they could spend the whole night asleep with no one keeping watch.

As Zach slowly drifted into deep slumber, something in the back of his head was telling him that they were going to face a lot more trouble that night. He might as well kill Burton and get away with the stuff before he gets killed himself. Zach's eyes snapped open. Did he really just think that? No, he could never do that. He and Burton were sticking together until it was necessary for them to split up. But did Burton even help him today in the Cornucopia? He just risked his life for Burton and the supplies and he did nothing but eat a bar of food from the bag he had to run around with to add to their collection.

Zach shook his head, trying to rid of the voice. It was no more than a mere whisper. Burton could never hear it from down below. He could slip down to his branch and sink his knife in his throat. It was as easy as that. But Burton had to steal a backpack yesterday. Zach did nothing but wait back in the tree like his ally did today. Wasn't that fair?

"Zach, can you hear voices?" Burton suddenly mumbled, his eyes closed.

"Wha– Oh, no. I don't hear anything," Zach replied immediately through gritted teeth. Thankfully, the voice in his head had disappeared and it had been easier to fall asleep. As his eyes fluttered close, the vibrant fruits and flowers he stared up at seemed to have been staring back as if they had their own set of eyes, watching his every move.

Neither of the two had noticed the stomping of a pair of tributes walking around the arena at the dead of night, coincidentally moving in the direction of Burton and Zach's tree. The pair of fourteen year-old boys also did not even acknowledge the fact that Burton had completely forgotten to tie in the latest stolen rucksack together with the others.

* * *

_**Langston Calder (15–D5) Drew Perrin (15–D5)**_

* * *

"I'm absolutely starving," Drew moaned in the darkness, clutching her gurgling, empty stomach with a pained expression.

"We had some berries like an hour ago," Langston said with a shrug, his face thinner than it had ever been.

For the fifteen year-old boy, it was never this bad back home. He had working older siblings who could at least afford putting three meals a day on the tiny dining table they shared. The meals weren't exactly enough to fill them all, but they got by. Now, Langston had absolutely no idea where and how to get food. All he knew that it would never be a piece of cake to get a sack full of it. For all he knew, he and Drew would have to result to taking from the Cornucopia itself.

"Why can't we get some sponsors or something?" Drew mumbled.

"They're not something we can order, Drew," her district partner chuckled sadly. "They go for the tributes they like. We apparently don't fit in their expectations." Langston sighed wearily, running a hand through his spiky hair.

Groaning, Drew threw herself by a tree, collapsing on the soft, tulip-made ground. They had been walking around all night, trying to find some edible food to eat. Something about poison made Drew quite paranoid already. Ever since Relly had died because of it, she assumed every beautiful flower and fruit around her was filled with poison. She refused to eat anything except those berries that Langston managed to recognize from the Training Center.

"We can't stay here long, you know," Langston said, taking a seat on the white tulips beside his ally. "The Careers hunt at night too."

"Do you think they leave guards in the Cornucopia?" Drew asked with pout but she already knew the answer to _that_ question. The Careers were not idiots.

"Yeah, they do. I saw them hunting once. They weren't complete."

"Maybe the others died," Drew said with a shrug.

Langston held in a snort. "I doubt they'd be killed that easily. Anyway, the last cannon that fired was yesterday. That girl from Eleven was killed. No Careers are dead yet."

"I doubt they'll be dead anytime soon," Drew sighed, hugging her folded legs close to her chest as she rested her chin on her knees with her eyes closed.

"Which was the one who killed Relly?" Langston inquired with a dazed look.

"Reif," Drew immediately replied. "He's the boy from Four. I mean, out of all the Careers, I never expected him to be her killer. It could have been Ares from Two. He looked more threatening to me. I barely even noticed Reif. Like, what if he's secretly like going to kill them all in their sleep and hunt us down one by one and we're all going to die and–"

"Drew, you're rambling again."

The fifteen year-old shut her mouth, a tinge of red coloring her pale cheeks. Muttering an apology, she pursed her lips as she tried to get comfortable in the silence. Langston had a small serene smile plastered on his face as he admired the nature around him. Surprisingly, Drew's district partner had been the one to break the silence this time.

"I heard you singing a song back at home when you visited The Other Side."

Drew paled at his words. "We can't talk about that here."

Langston knew what she meant. The song had been illegal. It originated from District Five and once the Capitol heard it, it was immediately banned. He knew why. The lyrics had meant rebellion somehow, and Langston was very much shocked to hear the words to the song come out of Drew's mouth.

"I know we can't," Langston finally replied, choosing his words carefully, "but you have a nice voice. You can sing. My friend from back home liked to sing, but I don't think she was nearly as good as you."

He knew how hurt Georgia would have been after the words slipped out of his mouth. He felt the guilt, but not as much as he expected. Though she probably didn't realize it, she had broken his heart. It was sad that Langston could still feel the butterflies fluttering in the pit of his stomach at the thought of her, but he needed to get over her. He could not die in the arena with this kind of pain.

"Thank you," Drew said with a smile.

Another wave of silence washed over the two tributes. It was not as uncomfortable as the first for Langston, but to Drew, any kind of silence was awkward. It was not surprising when she opened her mouth to speak again.

"How do you think we'll survive without food?" she asked. "We've got to find a way to eat, or we're going to die of starvation."

"I know that," Langston laughed. "I'm trying to think of a way. We can't exactly waltz in the field of the Cornucopia empty-handed. We need to think of a plan."

"Or we can just walk in and steal some stuff."

Sighing, Langston shot Drew a look. "We're not going to get anything that way. Probably just a death sentence."

"We just keep planning," Drew murmured with a tinge of impatience. "It's not like our plans are ever going to work."

"How would you know? We've never tried any of our plans," Langston replied.

Before his ally could respond snippily to his comment, something behind Langston's head made her eyes grow wide. She pushed herself up to her feet and they seemed to have a mind of their own as they took brisk steps to a tree not too far away from the one they had been leaning on. Langston uneasily followed her lead.

"Drew, what–"

"That's a _bag_! Kind of like the bags that were around the Cornucopia during the bloodbath!"

Eyebrows furrowed, Langston watched as Drew began to quicken her pace towards the tree. He jogged over to her and realized that what Drew said had been right. By the trunk of the tree was an electric blue rucksack with its zipper wide open. Drew already dropped to her knees by the bag and searched through it. A wide grin grew on her face as she pulled out different sorts of supplies such as granola bars, biscuits, packs of dry jerky, bottles of purified water and so much more that would definitely help them in survival.

"Oh my God," Langston breathed, picking up a pack of jerky from the pile of goods Drew had pulled out from the bag. "What is this doing here? Someone could own this!"

"No one owns this, Langston," Drew said with a hungry look in her eye as she stared eagerly at necessities she pulled out. "Can you see anyone around here?"

"Someone could have left it then… We can't just take it, Drew! That's not right."

"If it's just here lying around, then we can take it! Come on, Langston. It's not stealing if there's no one here. They've probably forgotten about this already. Besides, I'm not going to die of starvation in these games."

With a huff, Drew filled the bag with the supplies once again and swung it over her shoulder. She raised her eyebrows at Langston who bit his lip, trying to figure out if he should just go with Drew and take it or try convincing her to do otherwise. When he realized arguing with her would be no use anyway, he sighed in defeat and nudged his head to the side to leave before the owner returned.

But just like Langston predicted, someone did indeed own the rucksack. Just as the pair was about to leave, a knife came hurtling down from above. With a yelp, Langston pushed him and Drew apart and the knife sunk in the ground between them.

"_What are you doing with that bag_?"

"Drew, leave it and let's run!" Langston hissed in absolute panic. Drew shook her head stubbornly.

"No! I found it first!"

"He probably owns it!"

With a determined expression, Drew grabbed Langston's gangly arm and began to run, dragging him with her. Behind them, disheveled fourteen year-olds who were woken up by raised voices landed on the ground with ease as they hopped from the tree. Zach had an extremely displeased expression pasted on his handsome face as he gripped his knife in hand.

"_I risked my life for that bag_!" he roared before sprinting for the two tributes from Five, Burton right at his heels.

Meanwhile, Langston and Drew intensely argued as they ran for their lives.

"Drew, just _drop the bag_!" Langston tried to convince her, trying to shake his arm out of her firm grip.

"_No_!" she obstinately hissed back. Aware of what he was trying to do, Drew tightened her hold and continued to sprint with the backpack.

Behind them, Zach and Burton were catching up, both boys wielding knives. Their once sleepy eyes had finally gone alert and determined. Their bed hair had gotten worse from the wind as they ran. Something in their expressions seemed very different from their usual mischievous smirks and grins. There was actual panic in their eyes now, and doubt filled their minds. Drew Perrin was indeed a fast runner.

"No way," Zach muttered as he forced his legs to continue sprinting. "I'm not letting her get the bag I almost died for!"

"Zach throw the knife!" Burton hissed from beside him, his hands reaching down to his stomach in pain from a side stitch.

"I can't throw knives!" Zach shot back. Drew was picking up speed as she dragged Langston behind her. Zach and Burton were nearly going to lose them.

"I'm pretty sure you're ten times better than I'll ever be! You're great with knives! Just throw it!"

"_Dude_! I'll just _kill_ her?"

"Come on! You don't have to kill her! Just aim for her arm or something! We _need_ that pack!"

Finally grunting in agreement and mentally cursing Burton for making him do this, Zach forced his legs to pick up the pace, gripping his knife tight and leaving Burton behind him. The fourteen year-old caught up with Langston and Drew enough to be positive that the knife would reach them. Aiming for her thigh, Zach whipped his arm forward, praying that it would hit the target.

"Come on; come on; come on," Zach muttered penetratingly.

He slowed down as he watched the knife slice through thin air. Indeed, it hit whom he had wanted to hit in the first place, but not where he aimed for. In fact, his aim was more off than he had expected. Instead of sinking in her thigh, the blade sliced through the back of her neck, making her fall forward on the white tulips.

"Oh, no."

Zach stared wide-eyed at Drew Perrin who was kneeling over the ground, choking in her own blood. Langston screamed for her name next to her, her blood staining his hands. In a few seconds, Drew's body finally went limp and she fell face-first on the white tulips, her blood pouring out like a waterfall from her neck.

_Boom_

As soon as the cannon sounded, Burton finally caught up with his ally and stood stiffly beside him, watching the events unfold before him. Langston lifted his head up from Drew's lifeless body and his eyes fixed with Zach's. Shooting him a look of pure hatred and pain, Langston pushed himself up to his feet, snatched the electric blue backpack from the ground and jogged away from his first and last ally, a mixture of sweat and tears running down his cheeks.

Zach and Burton stayed rooted on their spot, watching Langston run away with one of their packs of supplies.

"You're not even going to try and get it back from _him_?" Burton broke the silence, gesturing to the direction Langston had taken.

"I am _tired_," Zach replied distantly. "Let's just go back. I'll get another pack tomorrow."

As they trotted back to their tree, none of the two opened their mouths to speak until Burton could not take the sudden change of atmosphere with his ally. He knew that killing was going to be a problem for him in the arena. He knew that he wanted to avoid killing as much as possible. The worse he could do was injure to get what was rightfully his. Sadly, throwing knives was definitely not in his field.

"You didn't mean to kill her," Burton sighed, attempting to lighten up his ally. He never liked it when he was around moody and dull people. Calico and his other friends weren't ever like that. "Come on, man. It was an accident. Look, it probably does good in your conscience that you gave away that pack to her partner. It wasn't your fault."

"I suppose it wasn't," Zach murmured then let out a loud yawn. "We should head back. This is probably going to be our last night in that tree. We're going tree hunting again tomorrow. We can't have Five slitting our throats in our sleep."

* * *

**I apologize for the delay. I haven't gotten the computer for a whole day since I posted the last chapter. This chapter was easier to type down that the previous one, but I'll leave the judging to you guys. So what did you think?**

**RIP Drew; a tribute made by ImmyRose. The thing about Drew is that she was probably the most detailed tribute submitted to me. Her form was simply fantastic. I knew that she had to die though, and I guess day four into the games was her time. I know that I killed off Langston's allies early, but I need him to be alone. Drew will definitely be missed by me. At least Zach didn't actually mean to kill her.**

**The rest of the tributes not featured in this chapter will be seen in the next. Till next time! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**~jess**


	25. A Bloody Evening

_**Amelie Spaulding (17–D7)**_

* * *

Amelie waited impatiently as her eyes gazed at the bottle filled with water from the stream she had been introduced to about three days ago. She had dropped in some water purifier in the bottle and was just waiting a few minutes for it to settle. Her mind wandered to the current happenings in the games. For nearly two whole days, there haven't been any kills. The last cannon than boomed in the distance belonged to the girl from Five, and that had boomed the day after Amelie found out about the stream. She knew that the gamemakers would have something up their sleeve soon. The games were probably getting quite boring for the Capitol at this moment.

Sighing, Amelie finally gripped the bottle of water with her fingers and gulped in mouthfuls of the cool liquid. She had settled in a cave by the upper stream. It wasn't exactly very large, but enough to hold one person. Amelie had to crouch to get into a decent sleeping position, but it was much better than sleeping outside where the Careers practically patrolled at night and vicious animals probably roamed around. The only thing bothering her by living here was the fact that at night, the quiet seemed so deadly and intense that Amelie could barely even shut her eyes for a minute. Dark bags began to form below her gray eyes as the games progressed. Callaghan and Elijah would randomly even pop in her dreams, including her own father.

_Stop that, Amelie_, she would tell herself. _Focus on the games. You have to focus._

Nearly a week into the games already, Amelie was losing food. She had been lucky to actually last this long from one pack from the inside of the Cornucopia. She refused to die of starvation here. She needed to find a way to get some food. At times, she'd gaze around the trees in the arena, asking herself if all the fruits up there were poisonous. She could have sworn she'd hear whispering in the back of her head, or maybe it had been real. She couldn't tell if they were hallucinations or not, but she was grateful they didn't affect her very much. Something about the voices made her uneasy though.

As the sun set during day six, the silence casted over the arena had sounded incredibly deadly. Amelie was still wandering around the forest near the stream, testing her luck. She hoped to find a sleeping tribute that she could steal from or maybe even forgotten supplies. By tomorrow, she knew her small amount of food left would be finished. She needed to think of a plan fast.

Just as she began to trek back to her cave before dark, Amelie's ears perked up at the sudden howl in the distance. Her blood turned cold and her skin paled white as sheet. Unnaturally, the moon rose and darkness took over. Heart pounding against her chest, Amelie pulled out her night vision glasses to keep herself from being nearly blind. Once she had them on, the howls began once again, echoing in the flowery distance. She had no idea where the noise was coming from, but she knew she couldn't stay frozen on this spot. Panic welled inside her; Amelie sprinted towards her shelter by the stream, desperate to hide.

The gamemakers had gone impatient. Two days was too long for them. They needed a kill. They wanted Amelie to be the next.

Confirming her worst fears, she heard growls and barks gaining behind her as she ran, heavy galloping thundering on the arena ground. With a strangled scream, Amelie swiftly turned another direction, dodging tree after tree and keeping her head up to keep her night vision glasses from falling. She didn't want to look back, but the tense curiosity of what exactly was chasing her was eating her up. Twisting her head back as she ran, she furrowed her eyebrows at the sight.

Behind her were three fully grown white wolves, their yellow teeth bared and their eyes viciously red. They had been unexpectedly ordinary for a mutt in the games. They were just dogs; well, venomous and carnivorous dogs at that. Amelie didn't take the time to dwell on the sudden lack of originality on these mutts. All she knew was that those teeth weren't going to take her in very lightly. She needed to keep running.

As she finally turned the direction of her head forward once again, her eyes widened in complete panic and surprise when she found herself running straight into a trunk of a tree that she could have sworn was not there before she looked back at the wolves. That didn't matter though. It was there and it looked pretty solid to her. At a last second attempt to live though this chase, Amelie pushed herself off the ground for a strong jump and extended her arms up to grab ahold of the lowest branch of the tree. She sighed in complete relief once her fingers firmly gripped the thick branch and the three mutts circled around her hanging body, baring their teeth as they growled at her.

Amelie found herself staring into their big, malicious red eyes, and something tugged in the back of her mind. Someone was speaking, just like how she heard the person when she stared up at the fruits. Someone was demanding something, but she didn't let the voice get to her. She still managed to have enough willpower to refuse this voice, but she was slowly losing it.

Then Amelie realized that the mutts were not only circling her, but they circled a red sphere that was situated right below her. She gulped nervously. It was her only way of escape. She knew tributes didn't die when they jumped in them, but where would it take her? Would it hurt to try?

Getting an idea, Amelie lifted her head up at the grown fruits on the tree. The nearest to her was thankfully within her reach. It was bright yellow, shaped like an overgrown strawberry except it seemed to glow deadly under the moonlight. Once she was convinced that her right hand had no open wounds, she plucked the fruit out of the thin branch and tightly pressed it with her fingers, letting the juices drip at one of the growling mutts. The liquid from the glowing fruit sunk in its red eyes, and it howled in agonizing pain.

In the whole confusion, the mutt, its eyes emitting white foam from the poison, began to go insane as it jumped over the red sphere, and straight at its fellow beast. Both mutts began to roll over the ground, scratching at each other. The poisoned mutt was doing nothing to defend itself from the claws of the other. Instead, it cowered on the ground, wailing at the pain inflicted on its eyes. The third simply stared, completely forgetting about Amelie.

The seventeen year-old nearly felt sorry for the poisoned mutt, but it had to be done. Taking advantage of the distraction, Amelie released her aching grip on the thick branch, and she fell feet first into the red sphere. As her head disappeared, the third mutt took notice of her disappearance. Growling, it followed the tribute into the red tulips, leaving the other two mutts behind.

* * *

_**Rowen Ember (18–D10) Colleen Reyna (16–D10)**_

* * *

The tributes from Ten had been enjoying a good beef meal that would probably last them about three days. The silver casing that held the steaming food was still more than half full and Colleen and Rowen couldn't help but smile at their luck. Rowen had gotten it from a sponsor, most likely because of his looks. Just one glance at the Capitol women, he had already taken their hearts. Even Colleen had to admit that he was indeed very handsome.

She always considered her boyfriend to be one of the better-looking boys in the district. With his neatly combed jet-black hair and bright eyes, he managed to capture the hearts of the young women in Ten. Rowen though seemed to be a whole new level of handsome. He had that sense of maturity to him that didn't make him look eighteen at all. Ciana Ember was definitely a lucky woman. Colleen knew they were perfect for each other.

"I've never tasted this when we were in the Capitol," Rowen commented as he chewed the meet slowly.

"You should have," Colleen replied, no louder than a whisper. "It's good."

Smiling, Rowen handed her his share of the dish for the night. Colleen immediately shook her head, pushing it back to him.

"It's fine, Lena," he chuckled. "You're hungrier than me anyway. You barely ate for the past few days."

"I don't want you to starve," Colleen mumbled.

Reaching out for her hand, Rowen placed his small bowl on Colleen's palm. She began to protest again, but he shushed her, claiming that he wasn't hungry at all. Reluctantly, Colleen finally took his offer and couldn't help but eagerly take in the delicious meal. As Rowen watched his ally eat, his ears perked up at the sounds of distant howling and immediately, he pushed himself up to his feet with wide, startled eyes.

"Pack the stuff–"

"Too late!"

Sucking in a sharp breath, Rowen twisted around and indeed, it was too late. He could already see one pure white wolf, running directly towards him and his ally. What shocked him as well was the fact that there was another tribute trying to get away, a girl wearing dark glasses and her blonde hair in disarray as she continued to run. Rowen wasted no time in running as well. Abandoning the stuff, he ran over to Colleen, gripped her arm tight and they sprinted off.

Once Rowen whipped his back to look again, he noticed that the blonde tribute was no longer running. Instead, she stood still by a tree as the white mutt lost interest in her and was completely into slicing up Rowen and Colleen. Strangely, Rowen felt his legs weaken and he slowed down greatly, dragging Colleen along with him. His head was still twisted back at the mutt that slowly advanced, its red eyes flashing. He could vaguely hear Colleen try to snap him out of whatever was happening, but he found himself staring into the eyes of mutt and unable to look away.

Everything went completely black. He could hear nothing but the beating of his heart, and the growing voice of the man he had heard in his head before.

_Walk towards the mutt, Rowen_, it had said. _Go, Rowen. Just walk._

"Rowen?" Colleen's desperate calls rang faintly in the blonde's ears. "Rowen! Can you hear that? There's someone else here!"

But the voice spoke no more, knowing that Colleen had noticed. She should not have noticed. Still in a trance, Rowen obeyed the voice, his mind wandering and his heart pounding. Tightening his hold on Colleen's arm, he began to walk forward, towards the sharp-toothed canine. Both ends of the mutt's mouth curved upwards as if it were smiling. It looked as if he had expected Raven to come all along. The eighteen year-old blonde on the other hand was still entranced by the redness of their eyes but no voices came this time. The voice already knew Rowen was completely vulnerable. His steps getting quicker, Rowen continued to approach the mutt who was still creepily smiling at the two, daring them to come forward.

"Rowen!" Colleen struggled to get her arm out of Rowen's tight grip. They were getting deadly close to the mutt now. Its hind legs lowered to the ground as if it were already getting ready to pound on them. "_Rowen_!"

Just as the mutt sprung from the ground, its claws deadly sharp as it extended its paws, Rowen finally snapped out of his trance and reverted his weight on Colleen, making the pair fall to the ground together. The wolf soared over them and landed on all four meters away from where they lay. Baring its teeth as foams of saliva dripped on the white tulips, it lunged again, but Rowen did not move this time. Instead, he pushed Colleen away once more, making her roll like a rag doll on the grass, away from the scene.

Rowen was ready. The wolf had pounced on him and his arms gripped around its body before it landed on him. It wailed and clawed at Rowen's back, making the boy howl in pain as dark, crimson blood seeped through his shirt. With a grunt, Rowen spun around and threw the mutt to the ground, opposite Colleen who panted heavily in slight exhaustion, watching her district partner battle the wolf. It slid on the ground, whimpering as it did so. Once it slowed to a stop, it limply got back up on its paws, looking more vicious that ever. Rowen took advantage of the distance between them to run.

"Colleen! Let's go back to grab the stuff! Come on!"

Both tributes from Ten sprinted back to their tree, fully aware of the wolf behind them. Thankfully, it had slowed down greatly after Rowen dropped it roughly on the ground, causing it to sprain one of its legs. Rowen could feel his entire back burning as he felt the sticky blood run down his skin. His legs were starting to ache, but he could not stop. Colleen on the other hand was in full energy. She was barely scratched and managed to run ahead of Rowen towards their tree. Problem was when they reached it, Colleen groaned when none of their supplies were there.

"Where did everything _go_?" she wailed, her eyes desperately searching the ground. Rowen finally caught up to her and took in the sight himself. A curse escaped his lips as he buried his face in his hands. The image of the blonde from Seven standing still and watching them get chased was still vivid in his head.

"She took them!" Rowen groaned in anger. "The girl we saw being chased! I saw her stop. She must have gone back to get our supplies!"

"Wha– What?" Colleen stammered. "Why would she do that? That was ours!"

"Because these games make people lose any once of humanity in them," her infuriated district partner replied bitingly, silently cursing Amelie Spaulding in his head.

Growling filled their ears once more except this time it had been louder. Rowen turned around in panic, only to see two more white mutts joining the limping one, eyes trained maliciously at the tributes whose supplies had just been stolen. Colleen was still getting over the fact that someone so cruel would actually steal their stuff when they were running for their lives. They clearly needed it more. Rowen was already injured, and they had no food, no water, no sleeping materials or anything.

"I think they're leading us somewhere," Rowen mumbled under his breath as the mutts slowly advanced. "These gamemakers want a showdown."

"Isn't it a bit early for a showdown?" Colleen asked shakily.

"Showdowns are never too early for the Capitol."

And with that, both tributes began to run again as the mutts gained speed, having no choice but fall into the gamemakers' trap. They both knew they were bound to meet another tribute soon. If they expected a showdown between the two and Amelie Spaulding, they obviously didn't get it. Rowen and Colleen were just praying their luck wouldn't run out and meet any Career. Unfortunately, none of their pleas were answered.

* * *

_**Macy Zimmer (16–D6)**_

* * *

As Macy sat on a tree branch in the cool night, she knew something wasn't right. There was something about tonight that seemed so unusual. The moon rose rather quickly as if the gamemakers were eager to start something in the dark. Macy didn't like it. As she swung her legs back and forth, voices began to fill her head once again. She shut her eyes, blocking them out like she had practiced before, but to no avail. They had started to become worse as the games progressed. Her boyfriend would tell her she was already considered dead back home. Her father no longer loved her for not trying.

Hyperventilating, Macy opened her eyes as she heard twigs snapping and amiable voices. Instead of seeing herself in the arena though, she saw herself standing in front of her house and her family and Max. They looked down at her, telling her she was worthless. She could not describe the scream that slipped out of her mouth. She could hear nothing but it as she covered her ears in desperation. Her screeching drowned the voices of her loved ones and she clawed on her face with her sharp nails. Suddenly, a hand closed around her open mouth, muffling her sounds. Immediately, the hallucinations disappeared and she found herself face to face with a concerned Percy Eden.

Caught by surprise and under the impression that he was about to kill her, Macy struggled away from him, sinking her teeth in his thumb. He released her with a hiss and a pair of hands pushed him away. Unfortunately, Percy's hold and footing on the branches of the tree were too firm for him to fall over. Macy, who was simply sitting on a branch, lost her balance from trying to push the boy away and fell back with a strangled wail. Percy watched in horror as Macy flew down, hands flailing around, trying to grab anything that would keep her from reaching the ground. Finding nothing in reach, Macy hit the white tulips on her back. Air rushed out painfully from her lungs as she coughed with eyes filled with tears.

"_Macy_!" Percy whispered urgently from above. Cursing under his breath, he hopped off from the branch and landed on the ground with ease. He rushed over to his secret ally, kneeling beside her as she dealt with her coughing fit.

"Why are you here?" she asked weakly, soft coughs escaping her lips and her entire face red. "Go away, Percy."

"I brought stuff for you," Percy replied. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You just did."

Percy couldn't stand the pained expression on her face as her hand reached up to her chest, coughing some more. Before he could reply though, hurried footsteps filled his ears and that meant only one thing. _They_ had heard.

"Percy!" one of his allies, Reif, called out. "Are you here?"

Hands shaking and trying to keep his face emotionless, he sprung up to his feet, hoping it didn't look too much that he had been trying to help Macy. The sixteen year-old on the ground curiously looked from the direction his allies were taking to Percy's sudden change of mood. He gripped the straps of his backpack tightly, still determined to be able to give this to Macy once he got another chance.

"You brought them here," Macy murmured, feeling absolutely betrayed as more tears began to stream down her still rosy cheeks.

"They weren't supposed to see me," Percy replied through gritted teeth, eyes still focused at the trees as the footsteps became louder.

"You said you wouldn't let them hurt me. You're just like the rest of them! You're all heartless and cruel _Careers_!"

"_Shut up_!" Percy finally hissed but his eyes were filled with guilt. It had been his fault. He snuck up on Macy, causing her to react and the others heard her.

"Hey, there you are!"

Percy sharply sucked in his breath as Reif and Kellisa appeared before him, weapons in hand. Reif's eyes glinted sadistically once he spotted Macy on the ground looking quite helpless. He could have sworn that a flash of pity showed in Kellisa's eyes the second they rested on the poor girl.

"Nice job, Perce," Reif commented with a sly grin. "Let's see the look on the faces of the others when we come back with a kill."

"I think I should kill her," Kellisa snapped, trying to void her face of any emotion.

Reif rounded on her, his eyes flashing dangerously. Percy was rather surprised with his reaction. Usually he was so collected with his emotions. What made now so different?

"I want to kill her." Reif narrowed his eyes at his ally. "I haven't killed anyone since Three."

"I haven't killed anyone at all," Kellisa barked.

Percy was well aware that Reif was seething with anger. His teeth were gritted and his fist closed tightly around his javelin until his knuckles paled. Kellisa was smirking slightly at how she finally managed to test his temper. No one had ever done it before.

"How did she end up down there, Percy?" Kellisa turned to the boy from Six.

"I– I pushed her," he said, sneaking a glance at Macy who looked more hurt and emotional than ever. "I saw her sleeping up on the tree."

Reif opened his mouth to speak, but he was silenced by the sudden growls and barks that echoed in the near distance. Percy's eyes widened, knowing exactly how those sounded like. Reif and Kellisa looked like they knew what these animals were as well. They were trained for this. They would obviously know any kind of animal the gamemakers would send them in the arena.

"Let's go!" Percy hissed in panic, annoyed that Reif and Kellisa were still standing on their ground, eyes narrowed.

"Careers don't run from fights," Reif said in a low, menacing tone, awaiting the mutts.

"This might not be a fight you'll win!" Percy protested. "These things are mutts!"

"They're just wolves." Kellisa readied an arrow in her bow. "I know a one when I hear it. This'll be a piece of cake."

Just at that moment, two exhausted tributes appeared from the trees. Both immediately stopped at the sight of Reif and Kellisa who had their weapons drawn. Behind the two blonde tributes, three wolves appeared with their teeth bared and curved upwards as if the sight of six tributes together had made them feel giddy. In fact, it must have. The three wolves began to circle the six tributes, and only the two Careers seemed to get what was going on.

"That's what they want, huh?" Kellisa said, raising her weapon up but she was unsure whom to shoot first.

"The Capitol wants us to give them a show." Reif grinned nastily at the tributes around him. Colleen Reyna and Rowen Ember panted heavily. Rowen's eyes darted around the circle, finding a way out.

"I'm not going to be killed without a fight," Rowen hissed, pure venom in his tone. "I assure you the only person staying in this circle dead will be you."

Macy watched the exchange with wide eyes. She noticed how the wolves closed in on the group of six after every two complete turns around them. In a minute, they would literally be face to face with no way out. She wouldn't be surprised if they were all eaten alive once these wolves had gone impatient.

"As if I was going to start with you, Ten," Reif said under his breath. His gaze was no longer trained upon Rowen. Instead, his cold eyes rested on the fragile girl on the ground. His javelin glinted under the moonlight, causing her heart to go completely haywire. She couldn't die like this. But did she have a choice? It was her against this Career. Would Percy help her?

She lifted her head up silently, eyes wide with plea. He didn't even spare her a glance. His gaze was locked on Reif and Kellisa. He didn't even look concerned. Macy was certain than he had already been brainwashed into thinking he's a Career himself. A voice in her head that sounded much like her father told her that he at least had a chance to win. She had none. She shook her head vigorously, straining her neck.

"No, no, no," she whispered, blinking. Her sight had constantly shifted from her home in District Six to the forest she was supposedly in right at that moment.

"I'll start with the crazy," Reif said, slowly advancing towards Macy. "People like you don't deserve a spot in the games. You're nothing but a worthless piece of scum."

Something in Macy had finally snapped. Those exact words that had come from her head finally came to life. Her father and Max had been repeating it over and over again. She was _worthless_. She was not worth anything. Macy Zimmer was officially _dead_. Clawing at her face and rolling around the white tulips, she shrieked. Vivid images of her father swirled around her mind as she closed her eyes in pain. How could he have produced a daughter as _pathetic_ as her?

Cackling, Reif stood before Macy's insane figure as she continued to flail around the ground. Rowen and Colleen looked down at her in absolute pity. Percy didn't know how to react. All he knew that she was already as good as dead. Then something quite unexpected happened. As if the sight of Macy going absolute mental had caused an impact of the three wolves, they stopped circling the ground and turned their attention on Reif. Percy could almost hear a voice of woman in the back of his head. No, it was not Macy. It was someone else, and she was desperate as well.

Reif raised his javelin as he stood before Macy. Before he could thrust it down to her chest, the first wolf pounced on the Career from Four. His weapon slipped out of his fingers and landed on the ground, feet away from where he was pushed. The white wolf stared down at Reif, showing its teeth as saliva dripped down from the corner of its mouth. Its claws sunk in Reif's chest as crimson blood appeared through his thin shirt. In agonizing pain, Reif screamed once the wolf's mouth closed in on his face and the other two started with his legs and stomach.

Rowen and Colleen took this opportunity to sprint away from the group. Kellisa was torn between saving her ally, and taking a kill of her own. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Percy trying to calm Macy down. Her eyes narrowed immediately, but something or _someone_ in her head told her to forget about it. She watched stiffly as Macy finally managed to sit up and Percy pulled her up to her feet and immediately, she fled. Surprisingly, the voice managed to keep Kellisa from going after her. Instead, the archer raised her bow and arrow and directed it in another direction: towards Rowen and Colleen.

"_Kellisa_!" Reif's excruciating screams echoed in her ears.

"I'm trying to get a good shot!" she shouted back. Pulling the arrow back, she finally released and it soared through the air. Sadly, Colleen was too far for her arrow to reach its actual target. Instead, it sunk in her lower leg and Kellisa let out a curse. Colleen fell forward with a wail of pain. Rowen carried her in his arms and they disappeared into the forest.

"_Kellisa_!"

Finally, the girl from Two turned her attention to her ally. She rushed over to him, shooting three arrows into the skulls of the mutts. Once they limply fell over to the ground, she gasped at the sight of Reif. His entire face was bloodied and bones could be seen from his left cheek that was bitten off by a mutt. His body was just as bad, scratches and bites releasing blood on the ground. Then his breathing began to slow and his eyes opened one last time, locking with the brunette's, before his head went limp and flopped down on the white tulips, lifeless.

_Boom_

* * *

_**The Control Room**_

* * *

The gamemakers watched as the first dead Career was carried up in a hovercraft. The entire Control Room was silent, and in the corner, Desiree Hawkins sat droopily on one of the chairs. Her breath was heavy and slow and sweat dripped down like tears from her forehead. Franco was the first to turn away from the screen, his eyes burning into hers. He breathed in and out, trying to keep his anger calm as his eyes flashed dangerously at his redheaded colleague.

"That is the last time you are ever going to mess with our plans here, Desiree," Franco said, his voice low and threatening.

"Why would you do that to her?" Desiree asked shakily.

"It's what the Capitol wants. I can't do anything about it. But _you_ messed up the plans. Do you have any idea what this might cost us?"

"Why are you all talking as if you're simply puppets of these citizens?" Desiree got up on her feet, looking at each gamemaker in the eye. "Your talent in making an arena as complex as this can be used for better things and–"

"Desiree, sit down," Franco said through gritted teeth. Gamemakers began to narrow their eyes at the redhead.

"_No_!" she cried. "I'm tired of answering to you, Franco! Fine, I _made_ the mutts kill the Career–"

"Desiree, _stop_!"

Franco stood before the twenty year-old, his hand over her mouth and his eyes wide.

"You have to promise me that you won't interfere again," he whispered hoarsely. "You know what's going to happen to you? Do you want a death sentence? Hm, is that what you want?"

Dejectedly, Desiree shook her head. She thought whether to bite his finger and continue with her speech, or simply follow him like what she was here for. She had settled for the latter, knowing that she could get more than just a death sentence for going against the actual plan. She did not regret anything though. Somewhere in the arena, Macy Zimmer was alive, though was having trouble mentally. Reif had deserved to die more than she ever did or will.

Franco released Desiree and returned to his place in the center of the Control Room. "Don't worry about her," he addressed the other gamemakers who eyed Desiree suspiciously. "She's not in the right mind today. Anyway, let's give the tributes time to rest for a while. It's been a long night."

* * *

**So this was pretty action-packed I guess. I've decided that I won't make this story go longer than it should be. There will be deaths in every chapter, but that doesn't necessarily mean that there will be deaths ****everyday. Not each chapter represents the next day. If you read the chapter through, you'd know that this takes place during the night of day six already. I can tell you that the games will last for exactly two weeks.**

**The Control Room scene in the end was to give more hints about the role of Franco and Desiree in my plot, and more about the arena. Here's a question. What do you think was so special about the mutts? There was a scene or two in this chapter that really showed what was special about them. They didn't look very special, but just like almost anything in the arena, looks could be deceiving.**

**RIP Reif; a tribute made by IceTigers. Reif was a last minute tribute submitted to me because I really needed one Career. I knew that he wouldn't win, but I had fun writing about him. Since the start, I always knew he'd be the first Career to die. He was great though. I'll miss him.**

**~jess**


	26. Loud Whispers

_**Percy Eden (16–D6) Macy Zimmer (16–D6)**_

* * *

Once the night of relentless howls and agonizing screams was replaced by the deathly calm morning of the seventh day, Percy took his chance to flee from the Career group, and find his secret ally. The effort he took on helping Macy Zimmer seemed unbelievable to him. When he was reaped, the only thing in his head was the fact that he'd probably die in the bloodbath, and he just didn't care anymore. Maybe it was the goodbyes that finally made him crack. All he knew was that he was holding on to the one person that reminded him of home. She needed help, and he was the only one who could give it to her.

Heart thudding loudly against his chest, Percy swung the filled rucksack over his shoulder, took one last look at each of his sleeping allies. People would expect these Career tributes to be up by dawn for hunting. For this pack though, they preferred to do the hunting at night most of the time. The day was their time for sleep. Percy knew that he wouldn't get caught unless he made enough noise to wake one of them up. He felt the confidence building in him as he ran towards the place where he expected Macy to be hiding at. It was their usual meeting place. He was positive she'd be there.

As expected, Macy timidly climbed down her tree when she saw Percy approach. His steps were light as he entered the forest, barely crushing tulips as he walked. He carried the bag of supplies she had seen the night before. As if on cue, her stomach rumbled clamorously at the thought of the food in the sack. Percy offered her a small smile.

"Slept well?" he asked.

Macy could feel her throat clogging up at the thought of the recent events. She could feel her right eye twitching and her thoughts going hazy. She couldn't have an episode now. Percy was here with her. She fought the voices in her head, forcing herself to focus on reality. She shook her head to answer his question. She raised her head as her wide eyes locked with his green ones.

"How angry were the Careers?" she inquired softly, various situations going through her head. She could imagine how Terra would react once Kellisa came back with only Percy, unless she only cared little for the boy. Ares would probably be furious, as one of the best of his allies was gone. It was still early into the games. They would need him.

"They don't yet," Percy answered with a nervous chuckle. "When we came back, they were all asleep. I don't understand how they could have slept through something like last night, but they did. It was also Terra's turn for watch, and she couldn't even stay up and wait for us to arrive. I reckon it was better this way. Kellisa returning without Reif may have caused some serious issues."

"They're not yet awake now, are they?"

"Nah." Percy shook his head at his district partner. "I left before they could. I just wanted to drop this off." He swung the bag off his back and handed it to her.

"You don't have to do this you know," Macy murmured, her eyes fixated at the rucksack, but her heart filled with gratitude. She made no move to take it.

"Come on," Percy urged her. "I didn't come all this way for nothing you know."

"You're a really good person, Percy."

The sixteen year-old boy raised his eyebrows at his district partner. "I don't really get that a lot."

"Well you should," Macy said, lightly smiling as she reached for the bag Percy was still holding up for her to take.

Just as Macy's fingers brushed the rucksack's strap, a loud ruffling sound erupted from behind them and an unexpected hiss of an arrow slicing through thin air. Macy barely even looked up to acknowledge the sudden appearance of the archer she so recognized from the night before. The arrow sunk almost effortlessly into the center of her chest

Percy's eyes popped from their sockets and his hand released his hold of the bag, making it fall with a soft thud on the flowery ground. He watched in utter shock as the little life left in her once bright blue eyes fell into the darkness of her cold, dead sockets as her eyelids dropped to a close. She fell back just as the boom indicating her death echoed in the near distance. Percy could feel the boiling rage in his entire body as he stiffly twisted around to see Kellisa Partage with her main weapon still loaded, but hanging by her side.

"I knew you were helping her," she said boldly, eyes fixated on Percy's raging green ones. "It had to be done."

"So _what_?" Percy hissed, hands shaking and face pale. "So you can tell your fellow Careers that you took a kill but lost Reif? So you have something to back you up once they find out what really happened last night? I know the story with you and Ares and Christ, you are just as much of a coward as his sister."

Kellisa's jaw locked and her eyes narrowed dangerously at the dark-haired boy. "That has nothing to do with _anything_. The real problem here is the fact that you've been helping this little wimp behind our backs all along. What do you think is going to happen when the rest find out? You think you'll all still be little buddies and killing tributes by tomorrow? The Careers value strength and loyalty. You have neither."

"_Loyalty_, huh?" Percy spat. "Let's see how loyal they think _you_ are once they hear how you abandoned an ally to try and kill a tribute who was near impossible to kill already. Now you're going to try and cover up that mistake with _this_ kill."

Kellisa's eye twitched. "At least I actually _got_ a kill! You didn't help Reif either! You were too busy helping Macy to save your real ally! Do you honestly think they'd care that I abandoned him when your situation is way worse?"

"In the end, we're both dead," Percy said, clenching his fists. "You can tell them about my betrayal, and I can tell them that you didn't help Reif when you had the chance. They wouldn't be able to stand being allies with both of us. I'm fine with that. I don't mind dying. But do you?"

Both tributes stared into narrowed eyes with such malice. Percy could tell that what he had pointed out was going through her head right now. She was probably debating whether to keep their mistakes a secret to save both their lives, or to tell and get her and Percy killed. The point of volunteering was for her to do everything it takes to win. Kellisa never thought that she would have a decision like this. She knew the obvious answer, but she couldn't put it into words. Percy knew the answer as well, and as they stared viciously into each other's eyes, they had a silent agreement.

Suddenly, the rest of the Careers were calling for them. As they weren't too into the forest, the two tributes could hear their shouts clearly. Kellisa immediately turned to walk back to the Cornucopia, quickly thinking up a cover story for the both of them. Percy took the chance to turn back to his dead district partner. The hovercraft did not arrived yet probably because he and Kellisa had not gone as soon as she died. As Percy finally forced his feet to follow his ally, he could feel the last of his hope drift away.

* * *

_**Necali Reinerston (18–D1) Ares Hammersmith (18–D2) Kellisa Partage (16–D2)**_

_**Terra Johansenn (15–D4) Percy Eden (16–D6) Erizelda Morrison (17–D8)**_

* * *

"Where have you two been?" Ares demanded as soon as his recently missing allies reached them out of the forest, looking particularly solemn.

"We woke up to a canon," Zelda added in, rubbing her eyes from sleep.

"There was one last night too," Terra said, narrowing her eyes at the brunette. "Where's Reif?"

Necali raised an eyebrow when Kellisa stiffened and Percy pursed his lips. He knew the answer before Kellisa silently blurted it out.

"He's dead."

A wave of silence washed over the group of tributes. Terra was seething in absolute shock and anger. Her eyes were wide and her nostrils flared. District partners were important to have in the games. Everyone knew that. No matter how much you might actually loathe each other, it's really that person who might keep you going. Terra and Reif barely talked and she even still felt that small amount of hatred when she remembers that day with her abusive ex-boyfriend Glaive. She couldn't entirely understand why she was more upset than expected upon hearing the news of his death, but she didn't ponder on this thought. All she knew was that she finally knew the feeling Necali had felt since the bloodbath. It was pretty crappy.

"He's _what_?" she whispered precariously, eyes flashing.

"Dead," Kellisa snapped. "Didn't you hear me the first time?"

Pulling her dagger out in a second, Terra made a move to strike. Ares was fast enough to stop her though as he gripped both her arms with his firm hands, keeping her from stabbing Kellisa who stood bright before her.

"_Let go of me_!" Terra hissed as she struggled in Ares' hold.

"What do you mean he's dead, Kellisa?" Ares asked calmly but lethal, ignoring Terra's squirms. "Did you kill him?"

The brunette from Two resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Of course I didn't! I know it's way too early to start killing off each other."

"Exactly. Why is he dead then? And who owned the canon this morning?"

"Mutts," Kellisa simply answered. "Lots of them. As for this morning, I have no idea."

Ares raised an eyebrow at her last sentence, but didn't comment on it. "And you couldn't kill them off? You and Percy are more than capable of killing something as basic as a wolf."

"How'd you know it was a wolf?" Percy spoke for the first time since he had arrived.

"It's kind of hard to ignore the howls at night when you're trying to sleep," Zelda commented with a pointed look, looking unfazed at the death of her ally.

"Answer the question, Kellisa," Ares pressed on, irritated at the side comments. "Was it too hard to shoot the mutts and help Reif? You probably just watched him die at your feet. I never pegged you as one who would be unreliable."

"We had to fight the other mutts and it was too late to help him," Kellisa lied smoothly. "He was disarmed."

"By who?"

"The mutts," the brunette answered through gritted teeth.

"You're lying," Ares murmured.

"She isn't," Percy said in monotone. "I was there."

"What about this morning?" Zelda asked irately, recalling the sudden boom that caused her to jerk up from her sleep way too early.

The blonde from One took note of Kellisa's hesitating glance at her ally from an outer district. A split second of silence passed before Percy's lips parted to speak.

"The kill didn't belong to any of us. We just arrived this morning. We got lost on the way back."

Kellisa looked particularly irritated at Percy's choice words as she bit her tongue to keep herself from blurting out her recent kill. The boy from Six shot her a look. She knew she couldn't tell them yet, or he would reveal that it was her partially her fault that Reif died. Terra wouldn't be very happy to hear about that. That dagger of hers nearly sunk in her chest just a few moments ago.

The brunette was well aware of the fact that Ares' eyes pierced intensely into her own. Immense amount of doubt and skepticism swirled around his icy irises. Had Ares actually known she was lying? Or maybe he simply doubted her? Kellisa knew he wouldn't speak unless he was entirely sure, and he didn't.

"Enough of this," Necali interrupted sharply. "Lying or not, there's nothing we can do about it anyway. Reif is dead. We lost one of our best allies. We can't bring him back to life, can we? This is the Hunger Games. He was bound to die anyway."

"Just like Sapphire," Terra mocked.

Necali shot her a look. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Like Sapphire."

When the group disbanded to do their own things, Necali didn't miss the relief on the faces of Percy and Kellisa. A frown formed on his face, but he didn't comment. The familiar sound of knives sinking in tree bark filled his ears and he swiftly turned to see Zelda practicing with throwing knives. She actually wasn't half bad. Necali found himself watching her as she did it, criticizing her throws mentally. He didn't even notice Kellisa standing beside him until she spoke.

"I don't think Ares would appreciate me talking to him right now, but someone here needs to know."

Startled, Necali turned to her with his eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"

"None of us are paying attention to the tributes from Ten," she continued.

Necali vaguely remembered the two blondes from training. He had not seen them since the bloodbath. They both got out alive and they were most probably still alive now.

"Are they worth paying attention to?" he asked, looking back at Zelda who currently looked frustrated when her knife whirled past the tree she was throwing at.

"They are."

And with that, Kellisa left him to his thoughts. As he absentmindedly watched his ally practice, it was as if Zelda could feel his eyes one her. Tilting her head to the side as she twisted around, she raised an eyebrow at Necali. The boy stared back, face rid of any sort of emotion as he tried to recall any sort of information on the tributes from Ten. Zelda had been staring lustfully at the boy during training. So far, that was the only part he could remember. It irritated him that he couldn't remember anything but _that_.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't silently judge my knife-wielding skills from where you stand." Zelda's snippy tone snapped Necali out of his thoughts.

"I wasn't… _silently judging you_, if that's how you'd like to put it," Necali replied. He paused. "Well, you _could_ use some tips on your stance."

Zelda growled, tightening her hold on her weapon. "I don't need your help."

The boy from One rolled his eyes at her statement. "I don't understand what a girl's deal is in getting help. You were also pretty determined to get some lessons from me during training."

"My plan for that moment did not end very well," Zelda bitterly said.

"You mean you were rejected?" Necali snickered as he raised his eyebrows. "First time? I didn't know you'd hold something so shallow against me, Zelda. I mean that _is_ the reason why you're being so hostile in this conversation, right? Hmm, I sort of expected you to be the superficial type though. Those kind of girls come and go quite frequently if you asked me."

"Don't act like you know me, Reinerston. You don't know what I've been through."

"I doubt it was much of a bad experience," Necali continued to speak with a smirk. "What, did daddy forget to buy you your first teddy bear?"

Zelda wanted to stay calm. She needed to earn Necali's trust after all. He was her only hope to be able to stay in the Career pack once they figure out she knew nothing at all about Burton and how to find him. Ares would surely kill her if she didn't get Necali on her side. Currently, her temper was slowly starting to take over what she was saying.

"Why?" she snapped. "Are you jealous because the first thing _your_ daddy bought you was a broadsword?"

She didn't expect to hit a nerve, but apparently she did. Necali's right eye twitched at her words and his smirk fell almost as quickly as it came. Zelda kept the knife she held close to her, gripping it tight. Necali looked as if he was about to pounce on her for a second, but then an unexpected sneer appeared on his face once more. Zelda didn't know whether to feel relieved or annoyed.

"Perhaps Reif had been right for once," he said airily.

Zelda didn't have time to ask what he meant, because by the other side of the field of the Cornucopia, she vaguely heard Ares announce that they were about to go hunting soon. This put a scowl on Necali's face.

"I take it you're not a fan of Two?"

"I've got unfinished business with Ares," the blonde grumbled.

"Well, get in line," Zelda replied with a grimace.

* * *

_**Langston Calder (15–D5)**_

* * *

Langston had not been sleeping well. His dreams were filled with the recent events that had taken place. He could barely even close his eyes. Last night, he stayed up on a tree, listening to the screams and howls in the doomed night. The Capitol must have been pretty entertained. There was a boom last night, and one in the morning. Langston had been awake for both to be heard. Langston was always awake.

The stuffed bag he had gotten from the pair of fourteen year-olds Zach and Burton had practically saved his life. He knew how disappointed the audience would have been if he simply died of starvation. They wanted a show, and Langston had to comply. All he wanted was to keep himself hidden from everyone else before the gamemakers got impatient with him and sent something to lure him towards the rest of the tributes. He was probably going to get the bloodiest death out of his previous alliance. He was ready. He was simply waiting for the sign.

The entire morning of the seventh day into the games, Langston had been wandering around the forest to find a stream. Sadly, the bag he had gotten only had food and no water. Langston wondered why. Surely Zach and Burton needed to stay hydrated to perform all those life-risking stunts against the Careers. Then again, it probably wasn't the first time they had gone to the Cornucopia. What if they had a whole supply of bottles of water back in their tree?

The fifteen year-old huffed at the fact that two boys a year younger than him had accomplished so much more than what he had a week into the games. He briefly wondered what they did back in their districts to gain this kind of surviving talent. Langston knew how to survive, but his situation was different. He tolerated hunger. It wasn't new to him. That kind of lifestyle was what he had been raised to be used to. What he couldn't do was the next step, which was doing something about it. His entire life, his older siblings had done all the work to help the family live on. He did nothing but get used to the pain.

Langston could feel his swollen throat clog up and his eyes grow wide with sudden tears at the thought of his family back in District Five. It was all so pathetic and typical. He was the loner tribute of this year's Hunger Games as he continued to search for a purpose. The only thing that kept him going was his determination to see his family again, but was that enough for him to win all of this? Obviously not.

The rushing of running water filled his ears as he continued to walk under the afternoon heat. For the first time in hours, Langston felt pure relief throughout his entire body as a grin grew on his sunken, pale face. Trying to follow the sound, the fifteen year-old boy from Five quickened his pace. In the back of his mind, he knew that something wasn't right. This was just too easy. The gamemakers were leading him directly to the stream. He knew it. The air had gone significantly cooler and the sound of running water was too obvious. Did the Head Gamemaker just get impatient and worried that Langston would die of dehydration and upset the audience?

Then it hit him. He knew it had been too easy. He heard them before he saw them. Once Langston stepped from behind a rather large tree, the river and its crystalline waters shined a few meters before him. Then he heard a weary tone far left from where he stood. His breath hitching up to his throat, Langston stepped behind the large tree once again as he feared that the gamemakers led him straight to a group of Careers.

"We need to clean your wound again, Lena. "

"Did it get better?"

"Doesn't look like it, but I promise that it will… Well, hopefully it does."

Langston recognized the voices of the pair of tributes, but he could not remember unless he saw their faces. Very slowly, he leaned to his side to be able to take a peek at the tributes. He raised his eyebrows in surprise once he had seen Rowen Ember and Colleen, or apparently Lena, Reyna clean their wounds on the fresh water. Their once dried blood slowly washed away further down, no longer seen from Langston's wide eyes. He was beginning to wonder if it was truly safe to drink from this stream, even purified.

"I can't believe Kellisa still managed to shoot you that far," Rowen said, shaking his head at his ally's wound.

"She's a Career," Colleen replied softly as her eyes darted around her surroundings, as if she expected a Career to show. "I'm not very surprised."

"We'll get her, Lena," Rowen assured her.

Sighing, she offered the blonde a smile as he helped her up from the stream. Hissing in pain, Colleen blinked back tears as she put some weight on her injured leg. Behind the tree nearby, Langston loudly gasped at the sight. Now that her injury was no longer submerged in water, he could see the pus and blood seeping through the wound. Images of Relly's poisoned wound reappeared in his head and Langston buried his face into his hands, gasping at the memory.

"Who's there?"

Langston's head snapped up and met a pair of crystal blue ones, narrowing at him. Rowen nearly dropped his hold of Colleen. They both wondered why in the world the boy from Five had been spying on them. Was he there to take their stuff? Someone had already done that.

"What are you doing here?" Rowen demanded.

Out of fear, Langston pulled his head back and behind the tree once more.

"_Hey_! Why are you here?" Rowen asked once more with more force to his tone this time.

The paranoid part of Rowen's head was telling him that this boy could be a spy for someone, maybe the Careers. He couldn't let his guard down. There was no time to be friendly with your enemies in the Hunger Games. He never considered Colleen an enemy though. In a way, they were helping each other win. Rowen was definitely surprised when Langston stepped from the behind the large trunk of the tree. He was in bloodied and battered clothes, but his olive skin looked unscathed. He had been deeply breathing in and out as if it were painful to face the two tributes from Ten.

"Don't jump in any of the red spheres," he spoke softly but very determined to the wounded girl as if he was actually worried for Colleen's well being.

"Why?" Colleen asked with a crease between her blonde eyebrows, eyeing Langston with slight suspicion.

"My ally died because of poison from the red flowers," Langston said. "Trust me."

And with that, Langston sprinted away from the stream, knowing that he could not linger. He could have asked if he could join their alliance, but he realized that it was good that he was this year's loner tribute. Alliances only lead to attachments, and he couldn't lose anyone else who mattered to him.

* * *

_**Zach Quince (14–D12) Burton Howl (14–D8)**_

* * *

The pair of fourteen year-olds disgruntledly climbed their fourth tree since they ditched their first one. They had to find the perfect tree to settle in, and they already had before Langston and Drew came and messed things up. They couldn't risk staying there anymore. Waking up to a furious Langston with a knife in hand was the last thing they needed. Zach had started to sleep with his own knife even. Despite Burton telling him that everything was going to be fine, Zach had the strangest feeling that things weren't going fine _at all_.

Ever since they left their first tree, he had been hearing the familiar voice of a man more often. As time passed, the man's voice had gotten clearer, and Zach's consciousness faded. He tried to fight it though and most of the time, he managed to stay himself. The voice gave the same orders over and over again. He wanted him to kill. As he repeatedly said Zach's name, he tried to persuade the fourteen year-old boy from Twelve to sink his knife in the nearest tribute to him. The voice obviously wanted him to kill Burton. Why? Who was this strange man? Was he just in Zach's head? He knew tributes that lost their minds in the arena. Was he one of them? Did he really think that this eerie influence that echoed in his mind was just his imagination?

"Who do you think the two dead tributes are?" Burton asked from his chosen branch, below Zach's. The two stared up at the dark, waiting for the gamemakers to project the faces of the two tributes that owned the canons that had boomed last night and this morning.

"I think the real question is who killed them," Zach replied, "and how exactly they were killed."

"My money is on starvation."

"I really doubt that," Zach mumbled to himself, recalling the howls he heard the night before while Burton was sound asleep.

Finally, the first dead tribute flashed above them. Zach raised his eyebrows in shock as he took in Reif Larken's deadpanned expression on the sky. He heard Burton snort happily at the death of the first Career since the bloodbath. Zach vaguely heard him mutter an _I told you so_ under his breath. Shaking his head at his district partner, he turned his attention back to the projection and was not very surprised when Macy Zimmer's wide smile lit the entire arena. He didn't expect her to go very far. Though he had to give her credit. She survived seven days into the games.

Once the screen disappeared and the darkness took over once more, Burton curled up in a ball in his branch with a loud yawn. Zach knew he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight again. He briefly wondered how his ally could sleep through almost anything. Sighing, Zach let his legs swing back and forth as he sat on his own branch. He could hear a few chirping birds and shuffling of bushes, but only the familiar voice of a male had nearly gotten him to jump off in absolute shock.

_You have another chance, Zach. Come on, Zach. Zach, it's not that hard._

"No," Zach murmured, his nails painfully digging into the tree bark. His vision had gone slightly hazy, but Zach Quince was still there.

_Just pull the knife out, Zach. You have to kill him. This is what the games is about, Zach. There is no room for alliances. You are going to have to kill him eventually, Zach._

"Stop saying my name," the troubled dark-haired boy whispered vehemently, blinking furiously to keep himself awake. He pinched himself hard, hoping that he was only having a mental breakdown and this voice wasn't real. It was no use though.

_I have to say your name, Zach. It's the only way for you to comply. Kill, Zach!_

And finally, the voice had succeeded. Zach, who had been keeping his eyes shut as if to block the voice out, opened them so suddenly. Instead of their normal color of sky blue, they were deathly pale and dilated. Robotically, the boy slowly pulled the hidden knife out of his boot and his neck twisted around to focus on his sleeping ally.

_That's right, Zach. Kill…. Kill!_

A war cry escaping his chapped lips, Zach lunged at his partner from his branch. Burton only had time to open his eyes, but had none to even think about what the hell Zach was doing. The boy from Twelve landed on Burton's branch heavily. Burton heard an unexpected snap from the main trunk, but before he could comprehend the fact that the branch might break any second, he was visibly shocked when Zach raised his right arm with a knife in hand and an unnatural look in his eye.

* * *

**Haha, I'm back! I apologize for the long wait of this chapter. Just to warn you, these kinds of waits may come more often now. I've been terribly busy and computer-less. So I know that there isn't much action in here, but I need chapters with just some interesting interactions as well. It can't all be brutal fighting in every chapter. I also know that my Career pack is slightly different from others. I hope it isn't bad. Anyway, looks like there's some trouble with the pair of boys. Do you think Burton is going to die?**

**So I know some of you guys want to know what the theme is already. I'm going to reveal it now because the first victim has finally complied to the order of the voice which is to kill. One of my readers actually mentioned it in a review in the past chapter. The theme is hypnosis.**

**RIP Macy; a tribute made by ATallTale. She was pretty much the insane tribute of the games and I loved her. I will also miss writing about her. I hope you guys will miss her too.**

**~jess**


	27. From Dusk

_**Zach Quince (14–D12) Burton Howl (14–D8)**_

* * *

Just as Zach was about to strike, Burton managed to struggle his arm out of Zach's digging elbow and his fingers clasped around his ally's trembling wrist. With a strangled cry escaping his chapped lips, Burton managed to push Zach to the side, expecting the boy from Twelve to fall and land painfully on the ground. What Burton did not realize was the fact that Zach had been clutching his shirt all along and as he fell back, Burton was dragged down with him.

Both boys roughly descended from the upper branch, skins cut by extending twigs and thick leaves constantly shielding their faces from each other. None had attempted to strike until Burton's back collided with the flowered earth and the air rushed painfully out of his dehydrated lungs. Zach had landed just as severely by his side. For a second, both had been too consumed with pain to move, but Zach had recovered unexpectedly quickly and jumped atop the boy who had once been his ally. Pinning Burton to the ground, the dark-haired one gripped his knife once more and made to sink the blade in the captive's skull.

Known for his ability to register things rather quickly in his head and his agility, Burton managed to shoot his head to the side as the knife's blade dug into the ground beneath the white tulips, directly to the left of the boy's terrified eyes. Unfortunately for the curly-haired one, Zach was not giving up that easily. Yanking his weapon out of the soil with a violent cry, Zach made a move to stab Burton's head once more. Truly expecting this already, Burton dodged the blade with ease. This routine of Zach's determination to kill and Burton's escaping had continued until Zach stabbed the ground so hard that the entire blade of his knife had sunk in, trapping it completely under the earth.

Seeing this as an opportunity, Burton brought his knee up to dig in between Zach's legs as both his hands desperately tried to obtain his weapon once more. As his opponent doubled over in pain, Burton pushed the boy to the side and managed to stand with haste. With all the energy he had left, he grabbed Zach by the collar of his sweat-coated shirt and pinned him to the bark of the nearest tree. Anger pounding in his blood and veins, Burton struck the other boy hard with his fist up his stomach.

"_What the hell do you think you're doing_?" Burton whispered, actually sounding quite hurt and utterly betrayed. It was obvious he did not experience this normally. He came from a troublesome gang whose members had each other's backs no matter what. If one was in trouble, they all were in trouble. If one could not move on with the plan, everyone would stay back. Not once did Burton have a seemingly trustworthy ally who'd stab his back in the end. In this case, that phrase was meant quite literally.

"Zach–must–kill!" the dark-haired boy said through gritted teeth, emphasizing each word. Any amount of humanity in his dilated blue eyes had gone and Burton could not see the boy he had once been anymore. Was this what the Hunger Games did to their tributes? Now that he was experiencing this firsthand, he felt rather foolish to think that this could be his chance to prove himself to the world. How could one prove himself when he could not even stand to _be_ himself in the end?

With another war cry, Zach dipped his head onto Burton shoulder, opened his mouth and sunk his teeth into his ex-ally's skin. Hissing at the sudden pain, Burton released Zach to clutch his bitten shoulder. Pushing Burton to the ground, Zach stood before the curly-haired boy and struck a kick at his ribs. The blonde swayed like a helpless animal on the tulips, tasting the metallic tang of blood that rushed out of his throat. Another kick was aimed at the stomach causing Burton's sight to weaken as black spots began to form and tears threatened to fall.

Feeling that this was not enough as torture, Zach grabbed Burton by his collar just like the latter had done to him before. The boy from Twelve slammed Burton's back at the bark of another tree so hard that it caused branches to shake violently and the exotic fruits to fall from above. Zach drew his arm back and landed a hard punch at Burton's bony face. Burton could almost feel a bruised eye forming and the pain had been excruciating. His breathing was uneven and heavy and he did the only thing he could do at the time to fight back. The boy from Eight spat all the blood in his mouth at his opponents face, distracting Zach for a couple of seconds.

Disgusted, Zach held his hand up to wipe his face. Sadly, Burton seemingly had no energy left to attempt to escape. Instead, Burton fell limply to the ground in the same position as he was a few moments ago when Zach had been beating him senseless. As Burton's head lolled to the side, his eye caught sight of the lone knife still stuck on the ground. As if the sight had given him hope and strength, the blonde unexpectedly managed to get up on his feet rather quickly and clumsily lunged at the knife. Down on his knees with adrenaline pumping through his veins, it took him two mighty tugs to yank it out of the ground.

"No!" Zach howled from behind.

Just as Burton twisted around, knife in hand, Zach was right at his face, midair. As soon as they collided, they both fell to the ground once more, rolling around the tulips as Zach reached for the knife and Burton attempted to stab him. In the chaos, Burton finally managed to pin Zach to the ground, his knee digging painfully into Zach's thigh and a knife ready to strike by his neck.

"Very clever gamemakers we have this year," Burton whispered huskily, sounding almost psychotic himself. His wide eyes stared down at his ex-ally who did not bother struggling to escape. For a second, Burton thought Zach's eyes were slowly starting to get bluer every second.

"They did something to you," the blonde continued to speak bitterly. "There's something else to this arena. It's doing something to you and to me and to all of us. But all I know is that you almost killed me. Whether or not it's your fault, I have to kill you. I have to win. You technically have already lost. You weren't strong enough to hold yourself in this arena. You submitted to what the gamemakers wanted all along. There is no place for the weak in the Hunger Games."

Just as Burton finished his short monologue, Zach's eyes seemingly have gone back to normal. No longer dilated and once again crystal blue, he blinked furiously at the sight of a bloody-faced Burton glaring down at him with a knife in hand.

"Burton?" Zach spoke.

Barely hearing Zach's last words, Burton smoothly slit his throat, ending his life.

* * *

_**Amelie Spaulding (17–D7)**_

* * *

Amelie was having trouble sleeping as usual. It bothered her even more when the canon suddenly sounded in the distance and she sat up abruptly in the humid cave she had been using for shelter for majority of the time in the games. Someone died again. Someone already did this morning. Someone also did last night. Canons were booming everywhere and the Capitol must be happy. This was an interesting year indeed.

For approximately thirty minutes, Amelie had just been staring at the ceiling of her cave ever since the canon boomed. She counted the number of tributes left in the games. There were the Careers. Since Reif Larken had died last night, there should be five of them left. There was still the boy from One, both from Two, the girl from Four and the boy from Six whom they recruited during training. Unless they found another tribute worthy enough in their standards to join them, the outer districts dominated the top eleven. This was strangely comforting to Amelie.

Besides the Careers, there was the girl called Erizelda from Eight whom she would expect to be in alliance with someone else. She doubted that a girl like that would even survive this long alone. She could be in alliance with her district partner, but it was known that Burton Howl was with the boy from Twelve. The next three were the two from Ten and Amelie herself. So among the twelve she had listed in her head, one of them just died. The blonde bitterly hoped it was one of the Careers again. Knowing that five of them expertly trained and well fed were still hunting out there at the dead of night sort of made her confidence in winning falter.

Just as she thought various violent ways in killing those left in the Career pack, she heard the familiar sound of hurried footsteps and the splashing of water. Feeling her limbs contract and the beating of her heart quicken, she sucked in a sharp amount of breath as the noise continued. It could not be the Career pack. They were not smart enough to even attempt to keep quiet while hunting. Besides, she could assume easily that this was only one person.

Amelie knew that the safest thing to do was to stay in the cave, but her curiosity overshadowed her thoughts of safety. As quiet as she could, she hopped up to her feet and silently made her way to the mouth of the cave. Poking her head out, she managed to catch sight of a small boy with curly blonde hair, bending down to dunk his head in the stream. He knelt not too far away from Amelie's cave so the seventeen year-old made sure to keep herself hidden in the darkness.

She noticed the red line of blood making its way down the running water from the boy's face. A crease forming between her blonde eyebrows, Amelie suspected that there must have been a fight that resulted to the canon booming. All she needed to know was who this boy was. There was a name tugging at the back of her mind. She knew that she _knew_ this boy. It was just so difficult to remember. She also knew that the last time she had seen him was during the bloodbath.

Finally, the boy lifted his head up from the stream and shook his head like a dog, droplets of water flying around him and his curly hair stood as if he were electrocuted. In the process, Amelie managed to catch a glimpse of boy's face. She let out an involuntary gasp at the sudden realization. He was Burton Howl. He was in an alliance with Zach Quince, the boy who had directed her to this very river. Had he come to try and finish her off? But that was ridiculous. He was obviously cleaning up. His clothes were cut and dirty and his skin was bruised purple. It was safe to assume that he had just come from a fight. But what Amelie didn't understand was the fact that he was not with Zach Quince. Is it possible that the canon that had boomed earlier that night belonged to his ally?

Amelie did not know the answer to her own question, but what she did know that it was no longer safe to stay here. For all she knew, Burton was a killing maniac who managed to get Amelie's whereabouts out of Zach and was out to kill her. If Burton were capable of killing, he wouldn't hesitate in attacking her either. Hastily gathering the small amount of things she owned and stuffing them in her rucksack, she cast one last glimpse at the curly-haired boy who seemed to be in extreme pain as he clutched the side of his stomach. For a second, Amelie felt pity. But after another, the feeling was gone. She needed to save herself first.

Quickly jogging away from the cave that she would surely miss, she noticed how the sky slowly started to lighten and the dead of the night faded. Frowning above, Amelie found it quite odd. It was impossible for the night to last about three hours. Then again, everything around her wasn't natural at all. Perhaps she just stayed awake longer than she thought…

As the blonde moved swiftly in the same direction, the sky continued to lighten until the heat was scorching as if it were twelve in the afternoon. What in the world was happening? Why were the gamemakers in such a hurry today? Minutes passed as Amelie crushed white tulips, dodged red ones and passed tree after tree. Still, she continued in the same direction. Only after half an hour of walking did Amelie realize her mistake in going the same way. The gamemakers must have thought that too much action had already happened that night. It was time for another interaction in the light.

As usual to any outer tribute in the games, Amelie heard them before she saw them. Cursing herself mentally, she immediately jumped behind a large pack of berried bushes.

"What are these gamemakers playing at?" Ares Hammersmith complained with his swords positioned above his head as if using them to shield his eyes from the sun. Amelie almost snickered at the amusing sight.

"We haven't even been out too long," Necali said irately.

"Whatever," Zelda said with a roll of her eyes. "Maybe they just got impatient."

"How could they?" Ares snapped. "Someone died last night. Wasn't that enough to please them?"

Zelda shrugged. Necali growled bitterly, tossing knives at a nearby tree ahead of them as they walked.

"I want another kill," he demanded.

"Too bad," Zelda snickered. "The outer districts seem to be having more progress in killing than any of us."

"I swear to God you'll be the first to go once we part ways, Eight." Ares silenced her with a glare.

Amelie was too in shock to even think up a plan. The girl from Eight was part of the Careers? There were six of them still in the running then. They dominated the top eleven. Amelie could feel her hope sinking. How in the world did they get such a large pack this year? The bigger question was how Amelie was going to take them all down for her to take that victory crown. Eyes examining each of the three Careers before her, a smirk tugged at the corners of her chapped lips. She couldn't waste this opportunity. She had a plan.

As the three Career tributes continued to make their way back to the Cornucopia, Zelda began to fall back out of exhaustion. She knew that as long as she could still see Ares and Necali walking before her, she was going to be fine. What she didn't know was the fact that a certain blonde from Seven followed silently behind her, waiting for the right time to strike.

The two burly Careers simply kept walking, Ares slashing at anything blocking their way. Necali made no move to check if Zelda was doing all right. Amelie smiled satisfyingly to herself. If she could pull this off as quiet as she was at that moment, her plan would definitely be successful. She thought of all the opportunities that she could take once she captured the girl from Eight. The first thing she thought she could do was just to kill her as soon as she grabbed ahold of her. Then she thought of all the things she may possibly know of the Careers that would be important in the future.

Still Amelie didn't dwell on this for very long. She just needed to focus on her plan and the rest of the events would simply unfold. Peeking from her hiding spot behind a tree, she found Zelda just a few meters away, walking too slow for her own good. Necali and Ares could still be seen, but Amelie couldn't care less. It wasn't likely that any of them would turn back to check on her anyway.

"_Three, two, one_…" Amelie counted under her breath.

Heart thudding almost painfully against her chest, she sprinted out from behind the tree, her steps light against the tulips as she approached Zelda. Obviously the girl's hearing wasn't very good because she had not noticed Amelie's presence until a hand clasped around her mouth and another blackened her sight.

* * *

_**Erizelda Morrison (17–D8)**_

* * *

She tried to struggle. Her lungs burned for she screamed nonstop, only to have her voice muffled by the kidnapper's hand. Zelda tried to reach for the throwing knife tied to her belt, but the kidnapper's elbow dug into Zelda's right arm, momentarily releasing hold of her mouth. A screech echoed in the arena before the kidnapper managed to muffle Zelda's voice once again.

"Hey! Ares! Someone got Zelda!"

Zelda vaguely heard the kidnapper curse under her breath. She could tell it was a girl based on her voice, but her strength seemed similar to a man's. As the hostage continued to struggle, the kidnapper hooked her arm over Zelda's and began to sprint, dragging the brunette with her. Zelda's heels were hauled along the tulips, often painfully tumbling over roots and fallen branches. She thought she heard Necali's calls in the distance but they were soon gone the faster her kidnapper ran.

Suddenly, she felt something curl around her ankle and she was pulled into a pit, not being entirely sure what kind, as her kidnapper had covered her eyes from sight. Hissing at what felt like twigs and roots slashing at her delicate skin, she continued to be pulled by the ankle with the kidnapper by her side who still resisted her from speaking or seeing. Once her leg was released, Zelda was thrown up in the air and her kidnapper was finally forced to let her go.

Painfully landing on the white tulips, Zelda hazily lifted her eyelids, slightly hissing at the sudden light. Before her was the other tribute, her fair hair short and messy and her tall figure unmoving on the ground. Limbs sore from being dragged across the godforsaken arena and her ankle stinging from the tight grip of whatever had dragged her in the seemingly bottomless pit, Zelda was surprised that in her exhaustion, she still managed to push herself up to her feet. She didn't even stop to think if she shouldkill the blonde. All she wanted was to escape and to return to her safety with the Careers. As she turned to run, a hand suddenly enclosed around her sore ankle and twisted it hard, causing Zelda to fall back on the ground with a cry.

"You're not going anywhere," the other tribute hissed. Twisting her neck back, Zelda's eyes widened at the sight of a determined Pixie Girl clutching at her leg.

"What are you doing?" Zelda snapped, trying to aim a kick at the blonde's head.

"None of you are going to ruin my chances," Pixie Girl whispered, tugging her ankle hard.

She pushed herself up with her knees, pulling Zelda nearer to her. Her hand forming a fist, she directed a blow at the brunette's face. But instead, her hand punched a poor white tulip as Zelda rolled to the side and successfully aimed a kick at Pixie Girl's stomach. Once the blonde's hand slipped away from her ankle, Zelda pushed herself up to her feet once more, completely livid.

"Don't you _dare_ try ruining my face," she hissed, opening her palm and slapping it across Pixie Girl's cheek.

Hissing as her hand cradled her swollen cheek, Zelda took this chance to escape her. Zelda knew that she could end up like Sapphire Wilkes at any second she spent with that psychopath. Dashing through the vibrant forest, Zelda heard nothing but the sound of her heavy breathing and running. She turned her head around to see if she was being followed. Quite remarkably, there was no tribute in sight. It seemed as if Pixie Girl had decided to just let her go. How strange.

Still Zelda continued to run, not taking any chances by slowing down. As she twisted her neck again to make sure that she really wasn't being followed, her foot unexpectedly landed on a red sphere and the roots began to curl around her already swollen ankle once more. Just as the earth swallowed her head, her screams for help were muffled once more.

* * *

**(This is kind of a long AN)**

**I've returned with a new chapter! Yay! Sorry for the long wait. I did warn you guys that these kinds of waits would be more frequent. I really wish that I didn't have to share a computer with my brother. So anyway I hope you guys liked this chapter. Another warning: chapters will be ranging from 3000–3500 words probably now unless I need to extend it (that limit doesn't include AN). I'm already going to hint here that there will be a sudden deduction of tributes in the next few chapters. POVs will be easier to sort out now that there are less tributes.**

**So about the chapter! Did you guys like this one? I mean it's pretty action-packed. The two main fights are obviously Burton/Zach and Amelie/Zelda. Do you have any idea why Amelie let Zelda run in the end when she seemed to determined at first? Maybe she had a new plan... Just maybe... Do you think Zelda will find her way back to the Careers? And any comment on the Burton/Zach fight?**

**RIP Zach. He will be missed.**

**~jess**


	28. Call of the Desperate

_**Erizelda Morrison (17–D8)**_

* * *

Lying on the floral ground, Zelda ached in every place possible. She did not dare open her eyes. She wondered briefly why she was still even alive. The last thing she could remember was traveling through another red sphere and losing consciousness the moment she was pulled out of the earth. Zelda was tempted to move, but she could imagine the pain she would feel. Deciding to lay still, she began to hear voices that made her feel as if the temperature had dropped a hundred degrees and a chill ran down her spine. Fear filled her entire body as she grasped the fact that she was not alone. She had been found.

"Rowen, we can't just leave her now," a girl spoke rather softly but with an edge of determination in her tone.

"We've done everything we can to help her, Lena," the boy, Rowen, replied. "It would be best to leave her. We can't trust her yet. What if she wakes up and starts attacking us?"

Zelda thought of the names for a while. One she did manage to recognize was Rowen. Was this Rowen from District Ten? She vaguely remembered him to look very handsome and was fiercely protective of his district partner. Colleen, was it? Great. Not only did Zelda get herself caught but she got herself caught by the two weakest tributes in the games. Well, she couldn't assume that just because there was no news of their activity the entire seven or eight days in the arena. Although Zelda still didn't need or want their help.

Colleen did not speak. Rowen had been right to a certain extent. They did not know her. She did not know them. It would be way too dangerous to wait for her to wake up. Zelda's heart skipped a massive beat when she heard shuffling of steps on the ground. She also let out a gasp of pain when one of them accidentally stepped on her once perfectly manicured fingers.

"I'm so sorry!" Colleen gasped on impulse.

Zelda cursed herself under her breath. Now she had no choice but to wake up and face the two. Sitting up and opening her eyes, she hissed at the sudden light and tried to focus on the two tributes from Ten hovering above her body. The first thing Zelda noticed was how Colleen had stained cloth wrapped around a part of her leg and Rowen was shirtless. Colleen's eyes were wide with something that the brunette could not place. Was it worry? Fear?

"Are you feeling fine?" Rowen suddenly asked. His tone wasn't very welcoming, but he didn't sound hostile either. Zelda could feel that from the corner of his eye, he was watching her every move. His hand twitched nearer to Colleen as if he were getting ready to grab her if she attacked.

"Yeah," Zelda mumbled, lifting the hand Colleen had stepped on and massaged her fingers with the other.

"We found you by our hideout," Rowen continued to speak. He looked directly into her eyes, paying no attention to the pain she was feeling. Colleen though was looking at her hand with much guilt.

"You had some scratches, but nothing major," Colleen said in a softer tone.

"We gave you help and spared your life. I think you should be on your way now."

Colleen shot Rowen a look. Zelda didn't even know why she tried. She couldn't offer anything to the pair so there was no reason for Rowen to keep her with them. The problem was the fact that not only did the brunette feel pain in her fingers but in everywhere else. She had no idea how hard her fall was after traveling through the red sphere. The tulips on the ground did not exactly offer any cushion. Her limbs burned when she even attempted to move them. She noticed the sky starting to darken despite the fact that it was perfectly sunny when she woke up.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Blondie, but I've got to stay here," Zelda said with a bitter laugh. "It's getting dark and I can barely walk."

Rowen sighed irately, throwing her a dark look as if she planned all of this.

"It's not like I'm asking for you to bring me in your group." Zelda rolled her eyes. "I'm just staying here. Go wherever you want."

"We can't leave you here," Colleen said.

"Why not?" the brunette snapped, feeling the weight of the recent events resting heavily on her shoulders. "I've lost my way back and I'm probably going to die here anyway. At least you guys can walk. See, look at that! You've got something wrapped around my ankle! Probably a sprain. Those living vines dragging you around underground don't really take it easy on anyone."

For the first time in a while, Zelda felt weak. Ever since she managed to join the Careers, she felt like she was at the top just like how she always was back home. She missed the looks and glances people had given her that were full of desire. It made her feel powerful. Now the only looks she was given were the looks of hatred and sometimes even suspicion. Most of all, she missed the look Xavier used to give her. It was different from the rest because Zelda could see that he actually cared. She felt loved.

Suddenly, it started to rain. Zelda didn't even bother to fret on how it would ruin her hair. Hideous wet hair was the last of her problems now. She needed to think of a way to be able to travel in the dark and in the cold with a sprained ankle. It was about that time when she noticed that Rowen still stood there. Colleen was nowhere to be found.

"Where'd the girl go?" Zelda asked, squinting in the dark to catch a glimpse of another blonde.

"I told her to go back to the cave," Rowen replied, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his soaked trousers for warmth.

Zelda narrowed her eyes at him. "Why are you still here then? And where's your shirt? It's freezing."

"You have my shirt."

Blinking in sudden realization, Zelda glanced down at the muddy cloth wrapped around her ankle.

"Oh."

"Indeed."

A moment of awkward silence passed between the two. Zelda felt a tad guilty, but didn't known what to say. Should she thank him? Before she could speak though, the older of the two bent down and scooped her up in his arms. Carrying her with much ease, Rowen briskly walked in a certain direction, passing tree after tree and his feet getting heavier and heavier after each step. Zelda could say nothing. She was speechless.

Soon they reached a clearing and the sweet sound of running water mixed with the sound of raindrops could be heard. Rowen followed the stream south until the ground sloped down, leading them to a hidden cave. Colleen was already inside with a small fire burning. They didn't have much stuff, but it already looked cozier to Zelda than the Cornucopia. Rowen settled her down beside his district partner.

"You didn't have to do that," Zelda choked out.

"I wasn't going to let him leave you there," Colleen suddenly spoke up. "That would have been cruel."

"If you knew me personally, then you would see how I deserve that kind of cruelty," the brunette insisted, looking anywhere but at Colleen's wide-eyed gaze.

These two were exactly the tributes the Careers hunted every night for. It just wasn't right that they were helping her, and she was accepting it.

"Get me out of here," Zelda demanded.

"You've said it already, Eight," Rowen snapped. "You're going to die out there. We're already helping your sorry ass for bringing you in here."

"You're making a mistake."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Ten, you have no idea what you're putting yourself into," Zelda pled.

"_Stop_!"

Both heads turned to Colleen who was breathing in and out in an attempt to calm herself. Zelda was surprised she was able to speak as loud as she did. Rowen dropped his gaze and finally lowered himself down to sit. He looked exhausted, and Zelda knew she had no choice but to spend her night here. She didn't see the point of arguing any further. They were the ones helping her in the first place. She should at least show a bit of gratitude. Still Zelda could not shake the feeling that this would lead to no good. If she felt bad out there under the rain, she felt even worse now.

"I'm sorry," she spoke, breaking the tense silence first. "I'll stay until the morning. Thank for everything."

"What happened to you?" Rowen asked in the same hard and irate tone. "Why were you just on the ground with a sprained ankle and cuts all over? Were you attacked by the Careers?"

Zelda bit the bottom of her lip at his last question.

"I was escaping from another tribute," she replied, choosing her words carefully. "You know what those red things on the ground do?"

Both blondes nodded their heads. Rowen tilted his in apparent sympathy. He knew what she was talking about. No wonder she had been so bitter about the ankle. The gamemakers could have at least done something about those living vines underground. The Capitol wouldn't be too happy to see all the tributes dying because of detached limbs.

"Yeah," Zelda continued. "I think I lost consciousness when I hit the ground."

"Have you been alone all this time?" Colleen asked.

The brunette hesitated. She chewed the inside of her cheek nervously as she formulated a response.

"Yeah, and I like to keep it that way."

"It must have been hard to be alone though," Colleen mumbled, staring blankly at the fire. "I don't think I would have survived this long if I were alone."

"What can I say?" Zelda said, looking away. "I'm a survivor."

She couldn't bring herself to think about how much of a lie that last statement was. She was no survivor. She always needed someone. She could never stand alone. But she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt and self-loathing building up inside her. She wondered what Xavier thought of her now as he watched her lie and manipulate her way through the games. She was wrong when she said Rowen and Colleen were the weakest. She was the weakest.

* * *

_**Kellisa Partage (16–D2) Percy Eden (16–D6)**_

* * *

A day passed since Zelda had gone missing from their pack. Ares and Necali had returned from their hunting on Day Seven without the brunette but nobody seemed particularly miffed at her disappearance. In fact, Terra cackled with glee when Ares revealed to them the news. Kellisa though found time for herself to ponder on where exactly Zelda had gone. Necali mentioned Pixie Girl with much irritation and anger. Surprisingly, he seemed to be the only one to have been affected by Zelda getting kidnapped. Kellisa assumed it was because it had something to do with Pixie Girl again.

"We are going to _find her_ and _kill her_!" Necali hissed as he gathered his seven knives from the wall of weapons inside the Cornucopia.

"We're not going to waste our time trying to find your girlfriend, Reinerston," Ares shot back, sword in hand.

"We're not looking for _Zelda_," Necali practically spat.

"I agree with One," Terra spoke up, standing determinedly by the mouth of the vine-made shelter.

"We're not looking for the girl!" Ares roared, sticking his sword in the ground. "That is final!"

"We're looking for Pixie Girl," Terra said, deadly calm. "She's worth wasting our time on. She's one of the biggest competitors at the moment. She needs to be dead."

Terra's word seemed official and anything Ares said would not have changed anything. With a seething look, Necali led the way into the forest with Terra and a defeated Ares. Percy and Kellisa were left behind as watch and the boy from Six could not have been more annoyed at that moment. Both tributes barely even looked at each other the entire time. The tension from the Macy incident was still in the air.

A little past noon, Percy pushed himself up to his feet, tired of sitting down and trying to avoid catching Kellisa's gaze. The two were yet to speak to each other, but Percy wasn't making any effort in doing so. Ignoring the inquiring and slightly suspicious look sent his way by the archer, Percy briskly made his way towards the edge of the forest. He glanced back to see if he was being followed. Luckily, he was not.

This had been a routine for him now. At any time of the day, he'd find himself sitting on one part of the forest nearest to the Cornucopia. He could still imagine Macy carefully making her way down her tree and looking at him expectantly. He should be holding a bag filled with survival goods for her then she'd give him a load of thanks before climbing back up. Back in reality, she was gone. He was sitting on the white tulips below Macy's tree, secretly hoping she'd suddenly climb down healthy and untouched by Kellisa's arrows.

As Percy sat though, there was a sudden snap of a twig. Immediately, the sixteen year-old boy was up to his feet. His trusty flail was missing from his grip, but he pulled out a thin knife from his boot instead as a backup weapon. His chest felt heavier and the beating of his heart stronger. Sweat dripping from his forehead, he squinted into the forest, positive that the noise did not come from the field of the Cornucopia. It could not have been Kellisa.

Suddenly a sickly looking boy appeared from behind a tree a few meters from where Percy stood. He seemed to have not noticed Percy as he leapt from tree trunk to tree trunk. His eyes were bloodshot and wide as they stared longingly at the Career's hideout in the middle of the open field. Curious to see what he would do, Percy stepped behind Macy's tree, keeping his eyes trained at the small boy.

He was the boy from Five. His name was Langston. Due to the little number of tributes left from the outer districts, it was not hard for Percy to recognize the boy. What he did not understand though was why he was here in the first place. This was suicide. The Careers dominated the top eleven. Langston was just lucky that it was Percy who had seen him, not Kellisa. He could have died in a second.

Suddenly Langston stepped out from behind the tree and began to walk into the field. He looked to be in a hypnotized state where his eyes popped out of their sockets and his skin lost any sort of color to it. His movement was robotic and stoic. Not really thinking anything through, Percy stepped out from behind Macy's tree. _What in the world was this tribute doing?_

"Hey kid, you're in the wrong place," Percy spoke, approaching the boy. He paid no attention though and kept walking. Acting on impulse, Percy roughly grabbed Langston's shoulder.

Right at that moment, he felt a sudden pain in his stomach. His right hand immediately enclosed around the thin piece of metal that lodged itself in his side. Gasps of pain escaping his lips, he fiercely pulled the rod out and lifted it before his eyes. The tip of the arrow was covered in thick red blood that slithered down the metal until it dripped like raindrops on the flowered earth. Twisting his neck around, he saw Kellisa standing a few feet away with her bow loaded with another arrow.

"_Traitor_!" she hissed.

Then she switched positions and released another arrow. This time it was aimed at Langston. Just Percy turned back to the boy though, he ducked just in time to let the arrow cut through the air above him instead. Langston seemed to have snapped out of the trance he was earlier. Now his eyes were etched with confusion and absolute fear as he stared up at Kellisa.

"First you help the crazy, now you help the weak," Kellisa spat, striding towards her ally with her weapon ready.

Percy could feel himself getting weaker. His blood flowed freely out of his open wound and white spots began to appear in his sight. He fell on all fours with a grunt.

"Come back here, you little runt!"

Kellisa tried to start a chase when Langston Calder attempted to escape. The boy didn't even stop to check on Percy. Kellisa could feel the anger pounding in her ears. She knew she should've killed him after she found out about Macy. He just found another weak outsider to help. Kellisa thought he would have learned his lesson the first time.

The Career from Two yelled out a curse when Langston stepped into a red sphere. Just as he sunk in, Kellisa turned her attention back to Percy. He looked so pathetic from where she stood. A pool of blood was forming below his stomach and he let out an occasional groan that echoed in the distance. A part of her was beginning to feel sorry for the boy, but it had to be done. Betrayal was something not to be taken lightly in the Career alliance.

"You deserve this," Kellisa whispered once she reached the boy who had once been her ally.

"I know I do."

With much difficulty, Percy pushed himself up to his feet. His left hand clutched his wound in pain, feeling the blood soaked into his shirt and staining his fingers. His right hand though held a weapon, and with it, he felt the least bit of power rise within him. He swung his right arm forward, the knife's blade cutting through Kellisa's cheek.

The tribute from Two was caught by surprise. Her head whipped to the side and splatters of blood stained the white ground. Anger welling up inside her chest at the fact that Percy actually managed to hurt her in his injured state, Kellisa tried to raise her bow despite how she literally just stood a step away from him. As expected, Percy lay a firm grip on the metal bow before Kellisa could pull out an arrow.

"Let go of the bow," Kellisa said through gritted teeth, her knuckles turning pale as her hold on her weapon strengthened.

"Never," Percy hoarsely replied as he ran out of breath.

With his other hand, the boy from Six swung the knife at Kellisa once again. This time though, Kellisa was quicker. She immediately ducked, but she was able to fight back as she refused to release hold of her bow. Percy began to take steps forward and Kellisa was forced to take steps back. He kept swinging his arm in desperate attempts to kill. Sadly the Career was expertly trained to dodge his attacks.

Kellisa looked behind her to check where exactly she was walking back towards. Her eyes widened with fear when she realized where Percy must have been trying to lead her to. Only a few meters away was the same red sphere Langston had jumped into. She was well aware of the fact that the cut on her cheek made her unable to travel through the red tulips safely. She needed to fight back.

Finally releasing her hold of the bow, her hand reached back and grabbed an arrow. Percy barely had time to dodge the attempted stab. He threw the bow behind him and continued to fight with his knife, egging her to step back a few more steps. Kellisa was quick as she successfully landed small blows down his arms. It was only when the tip of her arrow sunk in his wrist that he finally let the knife slip out of his grip. She twisted her arrow in her fingers with much ease and as her final attack to end his life, she thrusted the weapon in his open wound, deeper than it had when she aimed it from afar.

Kellisa could feel his breath hitch and he visibly weakened. A ghost of a smile graced her chapped lips as she whispered in his ear, "I win."

Percy though had achieved what he wanted in the end. As the last of his past life flashed before his eyes, his dead weight leaned forward and collapsed on his killer. Kellisa was unable to steady herself. She was forced down by who had been her last kill and in the same red sphere Langston had used to escape, both tributes sunk in.

Although the bodies were soon dragged underground, the abandoned Career camp was nowhere near silent. Echoes of Kellisa's last calls for help still hung around the air. Not too soon after, two canons boomed in the near distance.

* * *

**Crap, I have to stop updating so late. Sorry, again. I think this is like the third time. I hope you guys do understand that life has been too busy. Anyway I barely have time on a real computer so I typed this down on my iPad. I apologize for any typos or mistakes.**

**RIP Kellisa; a tribute made by Sandgem. One thing I loved about Kellisa was how she was was the most warmhearted Career, but then she was still a Career. To be honest, I thought about making her the victor a few times. I also wanted to put more light to her backstory with Ares but I ran out of time. There were just too many tributes with all too different backstories. She will be missed.**

**RIP Percy; a tribute made by PopperNickle. Percy is just another tribute that I feel so proud of. I personally enjoyed writing about him and he too was a candidate for victor. Before the games started though, I predicted that he'd be having major tension with Kellisa mostly in the Career alliance. Then I thought about how it would be nice for both of them to die at the same time so in the end, no one actually won between the both of them.**

**Despite the long waiting time, I enjoyed typing down this chapter. Comments on Zelda's situation? And what about Langston? I'm not sure if I'll be able to find time soon to write the next chapter, but I'm hoping for the best. Expect to see more of District Ten and Langston in the next chapter. It's their time to shine for now.**

**~jess**


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